The Prince of Egypt
by Jgal
Summary: After their home village was destroyed Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Dark Magician decided to search across Egypt to find the missing prince. But Pharaoh Dartz is not going to make it easy for them.
1. Prologe

Okay, normally I write YGO fics mainly on the Duel Monsters but I couldn't just this idea out of my head.

By the way, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of the material I'm using in this fic.

**The Prince of Egypt**

**Setting the Stage**

The evening rain poured down heavily on the desert lands of Egypt. All the people ran and hid within their huts or apartments to seek shelter from the sky god's heavenly water.

The country was devastated not of the change in weather, butofthe rebellion against the pharaoh committed by his own priests. The people from Kerma of the Upper Kingdom, to Djedu Abusir of the Lower Kingdom waited fearfully for the outcome from the capital Men-nefer.

Alone in the open rain, a single heavily robbed man wondered through the flooded roads of Toshka. A small bundle in his arms stirred and moaned under the course fabric. "Hush now, we're almost there."

The man walked for miles until he collapsed on the side of a small crude hut. He shifted the bundle within his robes so none of the falling water would soak through to the contents.

"Have there been any news of the rebellion?" he heard an old man ask inside the hut.

"No Solomon, just this letter telling your son's death while protecting the king." answered another elder.

The drifter raised himself up to see through the crooked window. A short rounded old man sat atthe table with a taller man standing next to him holding the first's shoulders to comfort him. On the other side a young boy with strange blond hair sniffed and whipped away his tears.

The wonderer looked down at the bundle and sighed, "This will have to do." So he crept toward the front door and removed his cargo from his garments. Wrapped in soft linen a tiny infant cried softly as he stretched his small arms.

"Shh. This is where I must leave you now. You might never see me again, but at least you'll be safe." The babe clutched onto the drifter's left index finger and held on tightly with all his might. The man leaned down over the baby till there was only an inch or so from between their faces,

"Hush now my baby,

be still love don't cry,

sleep like you're rocked by the stream,

sleep and remember my lullaby,

andI'll be with you when you dream."

The infant calmed a little and released his guardian's finger. The man softly kissed the child on the head and knocked on the door. Quickly he fled to the surrounding trees before anyone would notice.

The shorter grey-haired man opened the door while whipping away a tear, "Hello. Is anyone there?" he looked down to see the little baby boy starring up at him with his large violet eyes. "What are you doing out in the rain little guy?" he asked as he lifted the infant up in his arms. The child laughed cheerfully as the old man looked around, "But who could have left him here?"

"Solomon? What's out there?" called Solomon's friend from within the hut. He walked back inside and shut the door, "The answer to my prayers Arthur." he answered.

"You prayed for rags?" the taller man asked starring at the bundle in his friend's arms. The young boy stormed up to the others to see what they were talking about.

Solomon: "No. I prayed for a grandson."

Arthur: "How can that be? Your unmarried son is dead."

Solomon: "And he has asked the sky goddess to bring me this child with the evening rain."

The boy glanced over to see the purple-eyed infant, "Cute, but funny looking. So what are you going to call him gramps?"

Solomon gazed down at his new grandson who soon fell asleep in his gentile arms, "I'll call him Yugi. Since that was his late grandmother's first choice for our son." He then placed the babe in and old crib that he kept near the fireplace and ducked him in, "Sleep well little Yugi."

**Meanwhile in Men-nefer**

The rebellious priests and viziers had rounded up all the pharaoh's servants and Duel Monsters. The humans tried not to cry in fear while the monsters scowled at their human captors.

"Are they all here?" asked the high priest, a middle aged man wearing the crown of the pharaoh.

"All except for the king's right hand your highness." answered a large body guard. Just as he answered two more soldiers stormed in and threw another prisoner in lavender robes and armor at the priest's feet. The captive glared up at him with a hateful look in his eyes.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the mighty Dark Magician. It's a shame you couldn't defend your king as well as you could have." The priest then gazed up at his men and raised his arms, "My people, this shall be a new time for all of us. Now that the king, queen and new born son are dead I shall assume my rightful place as Pharaoh! Soon all the magic of the Shadow Realm shall be mine!"

The soldiers shouted and cheered. The guards dragged the Dark Magician and chained him up with the other monsters. Celtic Guardian turned toward and mouthed, "Where is the prince?"

The mage just whispered, "Far away."

The earth warrior gazed up to the window faceing south, up the nile river,

_"Young prince you're safe now, _

_and safe may you stay,_

_for i have a prayer just for you, _

_grow baby pharaoh, come back someday, _

_come and deliver us too."_

**Sneak Peek of next chapter.**

"You know my father?"

"Yes…"

"I was sent here to kill the child!"

"What do they want with my grandson?!"

"The same reasons I do, only dead…"

"If you want to save your father you must come with me."

Ok this must be my shortest first chapter yet. Probably crappy huh? Well, it'll get more interesting later. Hopefully. Read and Review


	2. Chapter One: Normal life Changed

This chapter is dedicated to the loving memory of Willow. A family member I'll never forget.

* * *

Summery: The Priests have taken over Egypt! The Shadow magic has been destroyed and the Pharaoh and his family have been killed. Or have they? Rumors are spreading that the king's newborn son had escaped the rebellion and is hiding somewhere in the desert. Now the Priests are out to hunt him down.

**The Prince of Egypt**

"It has been nearly fifteen years since the rebellion against the Pharaoh at Men-nefer, and since then our country is no longer on shaky stands and the boarders of our kingdom have never been more protected than they are now under King Dartz's rule." Explained the pompous scribe Panhesi to his troop of young eager minded students, "Now, any questions?"

"Um.. I do!" called out a small figured teen near the back with thick black hair with reddish highlights.

The scribe sighed heavily, "Yes Yugi?"

"Did…did King Dartz ever obtain the power of the Shadow Games?" the boy timidly asked.

As soon as the first syllable of the word 'shadow' escaped his lips the class's moans and groans echoed throughout the classroom.

"Oh not again!"

"Can't you think of another question?!"

"Please Ra; don't make this teacher go insane."

Panhesi folded his arms and starred at the boy who was starring innocently at him for an answer. "No, he had not. Although the rumors are spreading that some of the creatures usually used in those games are hiding throughout the deserts of Egypt. Personally I believe that the very concept of 'Shadow Game' is preposterous. Only a myth. Now, let's continue on with history…"

The day grew unbearably hot that afternoon as Yugi along with a blond haired teen Joey walk down a narrow dirt road from the school.

"I can't believe you asked about those Shadow Games again." the older teen scolded shielding his eyes from the blinding desert light.

"I'm sorry Joey. It's just that… those games for some reason fascinate me. The thought of summoning monsters from another world…."

Joey whipped off some sweat from his face and glanced down at his friend. "I hear yeah. Honestly I'd prefer to hear more about that then the crap those teachs are telling you."

Yugi glanced up, "Huh? What do you mean?"

Joey: "I'm saying that even thou we never had any invasions everything isn't so perfict since the rebellion."

"How so?" Yugi questioned.

"Take a look ahead of us. What do you see?"

The younger boy squinted his eyes to see sown the long stretch of road ahead, "I'm afraid I don't get it."

"Let me rephrase that. What DON'T you see?"

Yugi sighed knowing exactly what Joey was referring to. "I know. We lost about twelve neighbors this morning."

"And ten more left when I came to pick you up. And who knows how many left between those times."

Yugi: "The taxes have increase so much there's hardly anyone who can buy food at Grandpa's bazaar."

The two Egyptian boysfinally arrived at the local bazaar where their grandfather had worked for many years. Baskets of rich pomegranates, figs, and grain were stacked on top of each other. Chests of dazzling luxury goods such as ebony, ivory, and gemstone jewelry lay open to capture the wondering eyes potential buyers. Fine colorful linen hung from the awning with thick rolls underneath. Sealed barrels of freshly brewed ale littered the display floor, and next to them a tall rugged woodcutter was having a peaceful drink.

"Yo Tristan!" the boys shouted as they ran toward the bazaar.

"Hey guys! What took you so long? I doubt it's the traffic." The woodcutter said stirring around the overly-watered down barley brew, (Grandpa never allowed the boys to drink the strong or medium stuff.)

Joey just rubbed the back of his neck a little, "I had a little trouble at the marshland."

The even taller teen grinned, "Another encounter with your favorite hippo?"

The blond glared at him annoyingly, "No. Just a couple of crocs."

Tristan: "Phew! That's one job I'll never work. Reed gathering for papyrus. I just hope I don't fall into that gig up north."

Yugi's eyes widened, "You're leaving too?"

Tristan took another glug of his drink, "Yep. The taxes are too high for my family to stand. We're leaving when the next ship to Waset arrives. How long are guys going to stand it?"

Joey pulled up a hammock-like chair and sat down, "Not much longer, but we can't leave."

Tristan: "Why not?"

Joey: "Gramps. He can't handle the desert heat without some sort of transportation or shelter, and we don't have enough money to go with the caravans or trade ships."

"That's rough."

Yugi had already changed into his work cloths inside and brought out three ripened pomegranates, "That's not all. Grandpa helped build this city when there was only sand and grass here. He put great pride and hard work into this city and he's not leaving it without a fight."

Joey grabbed his fruit and jammed it into his travel bag. "Well, gotta go, those reeds aren't going to gather themselves up."

Yugi: "Me too. Grandpa wants me to help him at the bazaar."

"Good luck bro!"

Unknown to them, a distant figure was watching them.

(That Night)

"Can I look now?" Yugi asked trying to walk with Joey covering his eyes.

"Not yet." Joey said with a grin as he guided the blinded boy down to the dinning room.

"Now?"

"Not yet."

Joey moved his hand so Yugi could see a fairly made unlivied cake with lighted wick sticking it. "Happy Birthday Yugi!" both Joey and Solomon cheered. The boy smiled brightly gazing at his happy family. "Oh guys, you didn't have to do all this."

"Don't be so modest Yug. We wanted to do this." Joey grinned as he hugged Yugi from behind.

Solomon: "I made the cake and Joey's got you a little something."

Yugi glanced at his grandfather confused, "A present? Me?"

The taller teen backed away with a cheesy smile on his face. "Yup. And you better like cause I can't take it back." He said handing him a tan colored linen package.

Holding on the package Yugi untied the rough straw-like string that held it together. His eyes widened as he saw a glimmering gold charm shaped like the Eye of Horis. "Joey, it's beautiful…but, how did you get it? We can't afford anything like this."

The blond teen grinned, "Well I just scoped out the old gold mines for a few years. Pick up a few pieces here and there the miners forgot. And snatched a couple of molds from the jewelers. The sun kinda did the rest. I wanted yeah to have something nice even in these hard times."

Yugi jumped toward Joey and wrapped his arms around his waist, "I love it. Thank you!"

"Don't sweat it. What are big brothers for."

Suddenly a knock came from the door. The two brothers stopped as their grandfather went to the door to seewho was there. "Now I wonder who's out there at this time of night." The old man opened the door, to reveal a shrouded figure in the pouring rain.

Solomon: "Hello there."

Stranger: "Peg your pardon sir, could you please spare some food and a place to rest for the night?"

Solomon smiled at the traveler and motioned him to come in, "Of course, come in. any stranger is a friend in my house."

The shrouded man entered the as the boys prepared the table for the new guest. The unknown figure watched the boys with peculiar interest.

Joey: "Sorry your birthday got messed up Yug."

Yugi: "It's alright. At least your guys remembered. I completely forgot."

Joey: "So, were you able to get some more pottery from the storage yards today?"

The younger boy shook his head, "No. Kaiba is still holding off the pottery for a special request from the pharaoh."

Stranger: "It seems that all the troubles in Egypt are because of the pharaoh. Those fools in charge are nothing but ignorant fools who are too blind to see that their people suffering."

Everyone starred at the drifter for a few minuets. He quickly started coughing to cover up what he said.

The stranger then glanced around the room of the modest apartment that they lived, "A lovely home, (turning to grandpa) is it just you living here?"

Solomon paused at the guest's question, then carried some loaves of bread from a large ceramic pot, "Yes, along with my grandsons. There used to be more people living here but the taxes grew too high and everyone left. We moved here from a slum town a few years after Yugi was born."

Stranger: "Born the same day his father died."

The room immediately grew silent. Both the boys and the old man starred wide-eyed in surprise. Yugi jumped to his feet and rushed to the stranger sitting at the table, "You knew my father?"

The drifter turned to look in eager boy's eyes. They starred at him with hope and determination to know the truth. He gently patted the boy's head and smiled, "Yes. He was a great solder of the betrayed pharaoh. He knew that the rebellion would be dangerous and requested that his only son would be taken to somewhere he'll be loved."

The smaller formed boy looked down in disappointment. He didn't expect anything else about his father but he wished that somehow he would remember him. Or his mother.

"Sound to me like you're from the capital." Solomon said as he took a mild sip of water.

The drifter sighed heavily, "Yes I am. And…right now I'm on a very important mission."

"Really? That sounds cool." Joey said as he and Yugi gathered around the table.

Yugi: "What kind of mission?"

The shrouded man chuckled and acted less then a beggar, and more of a soldier, "Well, you all have heard about the rebellion and that all of the royal family have been killed?"

All three nodded in anticipation.

Stranger: "That's not entirely true. For you see, there is one member of the family that's still alive. The Pharaoh's new born son, who disappeared long before the final battle."

The old man grew fearful with worry, "That's impossible! The news spread throught the country that the child was dead."

Stranger: "The priests killed a child. But not THE child. The one they thought was the prince was a sickly babe belonging to a servant in the castile."

"Just how do you know that!?" Joey nearly shouted as he hid Yugi behind his arm.

The drifter grinned even more, "Tell me, have you wondered why the magic of the Shadow Games had disappeared?"

Yugi starred in wonder, "You know the Shadow Games?! Have you seen them?"

"In a way, the Pharaoh's magic is passed down from generation to generation. The Priests have the power to remove the magic from a generation after it's dead, so long as there isn't a generation to follow. And I... " he said as he drew a bladed dagger from his cloak, "..was sent to kill the child!"

* * *

I'm just evil arn't I? I know I didn't use all the sneak peek Quotes but they'll be comming up. Read and Review. 


	3. Chapter Two: Point of No Return

Sure the title is a little ironic, and maybe overdone,but I like it even thou I don't own it. or the other material I'm using in this.

**The** **Prince** **of** **Egypt**

"AAAHHHH!"

Ka tag!

The shrouded figure had drawn out a large dagger from his robes and thrashed it at the wall behind him.

A tiny deformed Spear Cretin screamed as he died being nailed to the wall.

"What in the world is that?!" Solomon exclaimed starring at the demon.

Before another word could be said the stranger knocked the table off its legs and dragged the old man and the boys to one side. The windows suddenly crashed and exploded toward the interior sending hundreds of glass fragments inside.

Balls the burning fire crashed through the walls as screams echoed in from the streets.

"What's going on grandpa!?" Yugi fearfully asked before turning to the stranger.

Solomon glanced out through a shattered window to see the gleaming helmets and shining steel. "Pharaoh's soldiers?! But why are they here? What do they want?"

"They want the boy. Same as I do only dead." The drifter said as he gathered the spilt food all over the floor into a travel bag.

"But why Yug?" Joey demanded holding onto the younger boy protectively.

Stranger: "Because they believe that he's the lost prince."

Joey: "Say what!?"

Yugi heard the desperate cries of the people outside. Immediately he pulled away from his brother's grasp, "Come on, those soldiers are hurting our friends!"

Joey followed Yugi to the upper rooms of their home.

Outside an infantryman had an elderly woman holding a baby cornered by a hut. The soldier was about to jab his weapon in when a stone was thrown from the air and knocked him out cold. The woman ran away without a second to loose.

The two boys were standing by the window with leather swings and rounded stones at hand. They launched and threw years of collected rocks toward the soldiers nearing the building or too close to a fleeing neighbor. "Come on Yug, at this rate we'll be throwing figs at them before they're gone." Joey said launching another stone at a soldier's head knocking him out.

"I'm not a good a shot like you. I'm lucky just to hit them."

"Just distract them long enough so our people can get away."

A thundering crash rumbled below as screams rose from the floorboards underneath their feet. "Grandpa!" they exclaimed at the same time. They raced toward the stairs when the floorboards under Yugi suddenly collapsed. "Aaaahhhh!"

Joey: "Yugi!"

The younger boy fell on his back in the middle of what used to be the family room. A soldier trashing the room saw the boy and charged toward him. Yugi tried to get up and run, but the fear of the soldier's spear drained all the motion from his legs. He shut his eyes tightly, waiting to feel the cold heartless steel run through his small body.

Whack!

The soldier backed off with surprise as his sword was diverted by the strong thrash of a long pole, "Stay away from my grandson!" shouted the hoarse tone of an elderly man.

Yugi opened up his eyes to see his grandfather standing between him and the guard. "Grandpa don't! He'll kill you!"

But he was too late. For more soldiers had already entered the apartment and restrained the old man, capturing him. Yugi tried to help him but a large soldier grabbed him by his long black hair and kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him to the other side of the room. He felt himself being lifted up again painfullyby the hair, and even a harder blow to his cheek and another to his lower chest.

"NO! YUGI!" Joey cried out as he ran toward the infantryman. The soldier only thrashed his shield at the older boy knocking him out on the opposite wall.

"Joey!" Yugi shouted, only to receive a punishing plow to his already throbbing abdomen.

"Ankhu, that's enough fun for you. We're moving out." called the guard's commander.

"What shall we do with these two?" the abusive soldier asked lifting the boy higher off the ground. Yugi waited in horror of what the decision would be. But nothing prepared him for what he heard next.

"The prisoner chariots are full, so leave them alive to tell the tail."

Yugi glanced over to see the guards drag Solomon outside where a large chariot waited. His eyes widened, realizing that they were taking his grandfather away. Probably to be tortured or some other cruel fate. Immediately he struggled to free himself from the soldier's grasp.

Ankhu only grinned at his desperate hostage, "A feisty little thing aren't you? Well this will teach you a lesson." And he threw the boy through a wall that was deteriorating from the flames set off in the house. Yugilanded hard on his left side,his skin was scorched by the flames and surging pains traveled through his body. The boy could only look onward with his face in the dirt as his grandfather was loaded into the chariot and disappeared in the fire's black densesmoke. The harsh ash and shoot stung his eyes trying to see the moving horses. The boy's vision grew blurry with pain and exhaustion. Yugi tried to get up again but fell back on the glowing hot wood that was once his home, "Grandpa…." was all he could say before passing out.

* * *

Meanwhile in Men-nefer the Pharaoh Dartz was enraged when the search reports showed no traces of what he was looking for. "How could this have happened!? Fifteen years and not a trace of him!"

"We searched everywhere my lord Dartz." A servant named Sisis said in apology bowing even lower than before.

Dartz sat back on his throne where a lavender spirit bird waited respectfully on the arm, "Everywhere? The towns? The forests? The desert?!" he questionedrubbing his temples.

"We search the a the the deserts, the Oasis's, ha ha houses, and e e every cradle." The guard said hesitantly with a fearful stutter. (If you might have guessed he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.)

"Cradle?" the silver haired pharaoh asked, hoping his ears had misheard the soldier's confession.

"Yes."

"Cradle!?" he shouted. Flames were surging within his multicolored eyes. He immediately calmed and rubbed the crow's chin, "Did you hear that my pet? All these years they were searching for a baby. Be gone all of you!" the soldiers did not wait a spare second to escape the throne room, and their master's wrath. He stood up again allowing the spirit crow to perch on his hand, "It's up to you now my pet. Go out into the deserts and find me a young man of fifteen, who bears even the slightest resemblance of his wretched father!"

* * *

"_Drift on a river,_

_that flows through my arms,_

_drift as I'm singing to you,_

_I see you smiling, so peaceful and calm,_

_And holding you I'm smiling too."_

* * *

Yugi opened his eyes to the light of the bright sun's rays. His sides ached from the ruthless blows to his small frame and his lungs still burned from the inhaled smoke. "Yugi? Yugi. Wake up." A concerned voice said from above his throbbing head.

"Joey?" he asked weakly trying to adjust his eyes to the blinding light.

A familiar face block the sun above the boy's head. Two dark hazel eyes starred down concerned and upset. "Yugi? Are you alright?"

Yugi finally achieved full conciseness and groaned from the pain, "I think so. A little sore but nothing feels like it's broken."

Yugi sat himself upward so he could see his surroundings better. They were surrounded at all sides by the yellow sands of the wide dunes that hid their home village from invaders for decades. Only a few lone trees forming a small oasis was near them. Besides that only desolate sands could be seen.

By the small lake that pooled the oasis the stranger was kneeling down filling four water-skins.

"What's he doing here?" Yugi asked trying to climb to his feet. Joey grabbed him by the arm and helped support his brother, "That guy saved us."

Immediately the younger boy turned to the blond with urgency in his voice, "Then that wasn't a dream!"

Joey shook his head, unknowing what else to say.

Yugi gazed down at the sands mournfully. The memories of the recent events played like a cruel tune that lasted a lifetime longer than the actual occurrence, "Then…Toshka's…"

"Still standing, barely. But unfortunately I was unable to rescue your grandfather." The unidentified drifter said as he approached the two brothers, skins at hand.

The stranger handed each of them one sack as Yugi whipped away a growing tear from his eye, "Where have they taken him?"

The man gazed pitifully at the young man. He knew the boy had a sensitive heart but was willing to hear the worst, "Knowing Dartz's plans the prisoners will be taken to the capital. Probably to be interrogated for other accomplices to the lost prince's disappearance."

Both boys starred at him confused. "Wait a minuet! I thought you said that Yugi was the prince. Now you're talking like he not?" Joey exclaimed grabbing a hold of the drifter's robes aggressively.

The man calmly held the boy's wrists and forced him off. "Listen, during the rebellion many of our offspring had to flee, along with the prince. For fifteen years Dartz's soldiers had been hunting down every new born that had escaped searching for the prince."

Yugi swallowed heavily, "How many are left?"

Stranger: (sadly) "Over hundred babes left the palace, I fear only ten are still alive within the country. Maybe less."

Disgusted with the stranger and the trouble he brought, Joey stepped away and grabbed Yugi by the hand, "Come on Yug, we're leaving."

Yugi: "Huh? Where?"

Joey: "We're getten grandpa back. That's where."

Stranger: "You cannot do it on your own."

Joey turned back and glared at the shrouded drifter, "And why not?"

Stranger: "Wither you believe me or not he is one of the supposed princes of Egypt. If we can find the real prince then all the problems within the country would be resolved."

Yugi: "But, I thought you came to our village to kill the prince?"

Stranger: "It was my job, but not my intention. My true mission is to find the prince and restore him to his rightful throne."

Joey: "To hell with you andthe country. These creeps want my brother dead!. I'll do whatever it takes to protect him and get our grandpa back. I'll take them beyond the reaches of the Nile if I have to!"

Stranger: "Pharaoh's soldiers are spread far and wide. You can not get near the city where they have your grandfather without being captured yourselves, or killed. And the Egypt's rival tribes still hold the lands of the upper Nile River. The only way any of you will find peace, is the prince."

The older Egyptian boy stopped in his tracks. His head faced the eternally dried sands while his mind faced the reality of their savior's words.

"If you want to save your grandfather you must come with me."

The sun-bleached haired teenager gazed over to his adoptive brother. Yugi looked up at him and nodded, "We don't really have a choice."

Unexpectedly, Yugi drew away from Joey and walked toward the traveler, "If we help you find the prince, can you help us rescue grandpa?"

The stranger knelt down to one knee and rubbed the top of Yugi's head gently, "I may not know whose son you really are, but I promise you with my very soul I'll protect you and your brother."

"Hey don't forget me you guys." shouted a familiar voice from the trees. The boys old childhood friend Tristan stepped into view packed up and ready to go.

Joey: "Hey hay Tristan! You made it out too!?"

Tristan: "Of cores. You think I would just let you guys run away from home just like that?"

Yugi looked back from his friends to the stranger, "If I'm not intruding sir, but…who are you?"

The drifter smiled underneath his darkened cloak and grasped the sides of his hood. He tossed it behindhis head to reveal a young looking man with light blue eyes and fairly long lavender hair, "My acquaintances address me as Imhotept. But in the old pharaoh's imperial court, I was known as the Dark Magician."

* * *

**Quotes** **for** **the** **next** **chapter**:

"In order to find the prince we need the map that was stolen from the library..."

"Don't worry Bakura, I'm sure you'll find a job…"

"Hey! Where did that little thief go!?"

"He doesn't look like a prince."

"Maybe you want to come with us."

**Response** **to** **reviewers:**

Cindy I wanted to see if a good cliffhanger would catch someone's attention. But thank you for saying I'm evil.

The Dark Magician: I hope you don't mind if I use your character name in this. I didn't know whowas going to be under the drifter's shroud

Read and Review


	4. Chapter Three: Rumor in St Nekhen

**Disclaimer: **I do not wown Yugiohor whatever lines I'm using in this.

Sorry Ihaven't updated in a while.

**The Prince of Egypt**

**Rumor in St. Nekhen**

Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Dark Magician walked for miles across the desolate desert wasteland. Stopping from one small oasis to another to refill their water. But the food was growing dangerously low.

"Ok where exactly are we going?" Joey said frustratingly bashing a scorpion in his bag with a rock.

Dark Magician in his virtually oversized cloak studied angle of the sun and the surrounding landscape, "During the evacuation of the palace a special map was stolen form the royal library."

Yugi: "What kind of map?"  
Dark Magician: "A very magical one. One that can identify where you are and approximately how far you are from your destination. After the last babe was left in a new location the map was placed somewhere near the mountains of Kerma. If luck is with us Dartz still doesn't know where it is."

Joey crushed the desert bug and starred at the wizard in shock, "Kerma! But that's even further south than Toshka. And we've been going north!"

Dark Magician: "We're heading toward Nekhen. From there we can board a trade ship up to Kerma easily."

"I don't care wherewe go as long has we get some food I'm starving." Tristan groaned rubbing his stomach to ease its growling.

They walked northward for another hour till they could see a large city complex just over the last dune.

"So that's it; Nekhen." Yugi said gazing at the city which shined like a pure diamond against the merciless sands of the desert.

Tristan: "Yep. One of the biggest cities in Egypt next to Men-nefer."

Joey: "Well be better get moving. If we want some food and a boat"

Yugi glanced over his shoulder to their new friend, who was sitting with his back up against a tree holding onto his chest tightly in pain. "Imhotep? Are you alright?" he asked walking toward him.

The lavender haired mage turned his head towards the smaller boy and smiled weakly, "Thank you for your concern. I'm fine. I'm afraid these travels have gotten the best of me."

The other two boys glanced back to them. "Not surprised. You haven't eaten of drank anything for days." Joey stated.

"Yeah man. Do you need me to carry you?" Tristan asked gazing down the steep slopes leading to the city.

Dark Magician shook his head, "No, I just need a little rest. You three proceed into Nekhen and replenish yourselves. I'll join you as soon as I can."

Joey: "Are you sure?"

The mage nodded.

Yugi lifted the strap to his water-skin over his head and emptied it into Dark's empty canteen. "If we don't see you down there we'll come back with a physician to help you." he said as he left his bag with what little food he had left next to the skin.

Imhopet's smile widened, "Thank you."

The blonde teen jumped in the air rising his fist (why guys do that I have no idea), "Alright last one in Nekhen is a rotten pomegranate!" he shouted racing down the dune slope.

Tristan: "Yeah but the first one has to eat it."

"No fair!" Yugi shouted following behind.

The three Egyptian boys raced down the sandy slope. The two tallest stopped just outside the open gates.

Joey: "He hee! I win!"

"Only because you tripped me." The taller boy said adjusting his ankle that nearly twisted around. "Hey where's Yug?"

As soon as he asked the final boy literally rolled the rest of the way down, landing hoard on his head. "Ow! That I didn't need."

"Yugi are you alright!" Joey shouted seeing his brother fall and rushed to his side.  
The smaller boy rubbed his head, "I'm fine."

Joey: "You sure?"

Yugi grinned, "Of course. Geez you can be so pushy sometimes."

"I have to be." The blonde said hoisting Yugi onto his back and grabbed his legs for support. Yugi clasped his hands together around his brother's neck.

Joey: "Ready to go in?"

Yugi: (nods)

Tristan: "One small step for man, one giant leap for Egypt!"

* * *

The three boys pushed and shoved (actually two because Joey's carrying Yug) down the crowded roads of the city. Everywhere they looked hundreds of people were busily working or shopping for household supplies. However the attitude of the people was hardly what they expected. 

(Or did I forget to mention that this is somewhat a musical fic?)

Water Carrier: "_St. Nekhen is gloomy"_

Bazaar customer: _St Nekhen is bleak"_

Badly sunburned man: "_My underwear got burned standing here all week"_

Crowd: "_Oh since the revolution, our lives have been so grey,_

_Thank goodness for the gossip, that gets us through the day _

_Hey,_

_Have you heard_

_There's a rumor in St. Nekhen?_

_Have you heard_

_What they're saying on the street?"_

Librarian:" _Although pharaoh did not survive_

_The child maybe still alive"_

Crowd: "_The royal child of Egypt"_

Librarian: "_Oh please do not repeat"_

Crowd: "_It's a rumor, a legend, a mystery,_

_Something whispered in an alley _

_Maybe through a crack_

_It's a rumor, that's part of, our history!"_

Priestess of Bast: "_They his royal highness Dartz will pay a royal sum"_

Crowd: "_To someone who can bring the child back!"_

The two taller teens walked around till they found the city trade center where the Storage Yard keepers desperately tried to sell their goods. Joey with Yugi on his back found one selling strange artwork.

Storage yard owner one: "_A Deben for this painting _

_It's Egyptian I swear_ "

Immediately they covered each other's eyes when the owner showed a painting of several female royal dancers. (they always danced topless)

Storage yard owner two: "_Tutkahuman's pajamas comrade buy the pair"_

Storage yard owner three: (showing a leopard skin cape) "_I got this from the palace; it's lined with real fur"_

Storage yard owners: "_It could be worth a fortune if it belonged to him"_

Hearing the crowd all three boys raced behind an alley. Joey set Yugi down and thrust his fist to the wall.

Joey: "_It's now a rumor, a legend, a mystery,_

_Can you believe that bastard Dartz has actually set a prize?_

_There'll be hundreds, out looking, for my brother!_

_We'll have some serious competition_

_While looking for the prince,_

_We maybe going over our heads,_

_But once we get the map this whole thing would be a synch._

_Who else can pull it off but you and me?_

_For Egypt!"_

Tristan: _"For Egypt!"_

Joey: _"For Grandpa!"_

Yugi: _"For Grandpa!"_

All three: _"Unless we die_

_Then that would be a god darn shame!"_

Crowd: "_Ssh Have you heard_

_There's a rumor in St. Nekhen_

_Have you heard_

_What they're saying on the street?_

_HEY! _

_Have you heard_

_T__here's a rumor in St. Nekhen_

_Have you heard_

_Comrade what do you suppose?_

_A fascinating mystery"_

Joey: _"The biggest race in history!"_

Crowd: "_The lost child of Egypt!_

_Alive or dead?"_

Stonemason_: "Who knows. Ssh!"_

* * *

Near the center of the city an albino boy was sitting on the last few steps of the city mansion. Lavish guardians surrounded the bright limestone palace with extravagant flowers ranging from milky red to ivory white water lilies. Elegant statues of various gods guarded the palace but that didn't stop the pale boy from entering. 

"Hey Bakura!" shouted a cheery voice coming out of the palace.

The boy turned slightly toward the mansion then back to the ground under his feet, "Oh, hello Neverteri."

An energetic young girl in her teens jogged out of the palace gates and ran toward the boy. She wore a bright white linen dress with a gold belt and beautiful gemstone jewelry along with an elegant gold band around her black haired wig, "So, how was your job at the quarry today?"

Bakura just sighed not turning his eyes from the ground, "Fine."

Neverteri's joy instantly faded as she realized the tone in his voice was less than happy, "Oh no, not again?"

"It's the third job this week. The guy said I wasn't strong enough to handle working with the stones."

Neverteri: "Yeah. And with the unemployment still rising it's getting harder and harder to find a job."

"Can't you arrange a carrier with a decent pay for me?"

"Sorry I only work for the government, I don'trun it. But don't worry you're not going to be stuck working in the mines." Neverteri said boldly as she sat down next to Bakura.

The albino turned to his friend to notice that she too had the same gloomy look upon her face. "Ok you asked about my day, what wrong with yours?"

Neverteri: "I just heard that my fiancé has postponed our wedding again for another year. This is the third time he's done that."

Bakura smiled slightly and faced the opposite direction, "Maybe it would be best if you end it right now since he ticks you off so much.

Neverteri: "Easier said than done. We were betrothed to each other when we were little kids. But I'll try to talk to him about it."

Bakura tstood up from his seat and threw on his dirty tan cloak, "I might as well get going. Got to find something to trade for food tonight."

Neverteri: "Just be careful Bakura. The police are getting rather anxious lately."

Bakura: "I will. See yeah around Neverteri."

"How many times have I told you to call me Tea." she asked smiling up at him.

Bakura bowed slightly andgrinned, "At least once more."

(Meanwhile)

"Mmm mmm MMM!. This is great chow! (munch munch) what kind of meat is this?" Joey asked the bazaar owner still with food in his mouth.

"Water fowl. The finest birds in the land." answered the shop keeper.

Tristan dived up from his plate and took a big glug of water, "This is a lot better than the ostriches we were stuck eating back home!" (yes they did eat ostriches back then)

Yugi just starred down at his food.

"Hey Yug are you alright?" Joey asked noticing the gloomy look on his face.

"I just miss grandpa."

"Me too. But don't worry, we'll get him back somehow."

The 'little' boy nodded and smiled. Then began to eat along with his friends.

Tristan: (turning to the owner) "By the way man thanks for sparing this food for us. Sorry we can't pay yeah back."

Owner: "Don't worry son, I've got plenty to spare. Just don't plan of settling in here."

Joey: "Don't worry we're just passing through."

Suddenly a bended over stranger collided with each of the boys hastily making his way through the streets.

Tristan, Yugi, and Joey: "Hey. Ow. Watch it!"

The unexpected guest left as quickly as he came and disappeared into the crowd.

Joey: "Humph. Talk about friendly."

Tristan checked his travel bag and froze in shock, "My wallet's gone!"

"What!" immediately the blond teenaged checked his own bags, "Mine too!"

Yugi franticly searched through his shirt pockets. His eyes widened when he couldn't find his most beloved treasure, "The amulet's gone to!"

"Alright this had gone too far. Come back here you little thief!" Joey shouted as he chased the robed figure down the street with Yugi and Tristan not far behind.

Meanwhile two robed soldiers were hiding behind the dark shadows of an alleyway watching the boys closely.  
"So that's one of them right?" asked one of the assassins.

"Yes. A potential child of the royal family."

"He's sure doesn't look like a prince."

"Of course not. If he was we would have found him ages ago! Time has not been so good toward him."

"Let get this over with."

"Indeed we'll get him before those drifters do."

* * *

Bakura heavily gasped for air after losing his chasers's pursuit. He laid his back to the wall to catch his breath as he held onto his loot tighter against his chest. "Phew that was close. Those guys almost had me. Well, at least my family won't starve tonight." 

Suddenly two pairs of hands emerged from the shadow, ensnaring the albino thief in their clutches.  
"Hey, stop it! Let me go. Help!"

On the street Yugi stoped when he heard a loud noise, "Did you hear that?"

"It sounds like it's coming from that a way." Joey said turning a sharp corner into an alley. He stopped immediately when he saw the young thief struggling to break free from two taller shrouded men. "Sheesh what's everyone wearing robes these days?" he charged toward the attackers punch the one in the face and elbowed the other on the gut. They toppled over releasing the boy to suppress their own pain. Bakura fell on his knees again to catch his breath, this time from fear. "Th… thank you."

"Forget that right now and run!" Joey shouted grabbing Bakura by the hand and ran back out of the alley.

Tristan: "Is that the guy?"

Joey: "Talk later now run."

Yugi: "What's going on Joey?"

Joey: "Let's just say you don't want those guys to get you either."

The other boys looked back to see two very angry man that did not look friendly. Tristan quickly picked up Yugi and ran with him under his arm, "Let's go Yug!"

* * *

**Next** **Chapter** **Quotes**

"What! What do you mean we can't get a boat!"

"Not so fast Princess!"

"Alester! What are you doing!"

"Excuse me Princess."

"You'll be soout of luck when we find the map!"

"You mean this?"

**Response to Reviewers **

DragoneyesLC : I'm glad you love my fics. Thank you!

SPUW Commander, Ruler of the eastern hemisphere, whatever: Your wish is my command. (Well not really but you know what I mean.)

Read and Review!


	5. Chapter Four: The Love is Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh the song I use or anything but this fic itself.

**Prince of Egypt**

**The Love is Gone**

With her head hung low the fair Tea sauntered slowly to the majestic gazebo overseeing the gardens, where a man only a few years older than her waited. He was tall and lean, but not without strong tight muscles framing his body. His black wig was angled sharply forward, shaping like a thin helmet. Around his neck a pale blue stone mounted on a rare silver plate on a long thin gold chain nestled between his fingers; reflecting the light off the crystal water of the lake surrounding the gazebo. His cool steely eyes widened when he saw the woman heading his way across the stepping stones. "Nevertiri! You are a sight for sore eyes my dear." He said brightly as he rose from his seat and escorted her into the gazebo of smoothed stone.

Calmly she sat down on the golden chair next to his. The man reached his hand to the clear water and lifted out the flower from a water lily.

Tea smiled softly as he placed the flower gently in her smooth black wig. "You always provided the warmest of welcomes Alister." she said quietly turning her head away.

Alister grabbed another stone like his from his chair and tied the gold band around her neck.

Tea glanced down to see the rock of the pharaoh around her neck.

"An early wedding gift from Lord Dartz." Alitser answered her question before she could ask.

Tea starred at the stone for a long memorizing moment. She reached behind her neck and unclasped it off.

"What's wrong my darling? You're usually so glad to see me after I've returned from a mission."

Tea: "Except that you are away longer than you have ever been at home. I'm actuality more used to you being away."

Aster stood up and walked to the side of the gazebo, "It's not my fault that my work tends to bring me away from Nekhen."

Tea: "Work? You're looking for a child. A child that probably doesn't even exist."

Alister: "That child holds the secret to unlocking the powers of the shadow realm and to Lord Dartz's goal for peace."

"Peace! You call this peace?" Tea scolded throwing her hand toward the road that lead to the city, "Have you really looked at what's out there? Everyday there are more people on the streets without jobs. With every one of your attacks the survivors come here to rebuild their lives. But because there are no jobs they cannot buy food, even though the harvests have been one success after another. Our supplies are wasting away and there's no one we can export it to."

Alister tossed his arms behind his head and sat down at his seat, "You've been listening to that renegade bandit haven't you? And I suppose he also told you that our engagement is not meant to be."

Tea nodded in shame, "Yes, he did."

He sprung from his chair and grasped her hands tightly, "Know this Nevertiri, I'm doing all this for you. I love you."

Tea forced his hands off and stood up, "You did once.

There was a time when I was sure

That you and I were truly one,

That our future was forever

And would never come undone,

And we came so close to being close

And though you cared for me

There's distance in your eyes tonight

So we're not meant to be."

She turned her gaze to the lavish gardens away from Alister's gaze. Tears tried to force their way through her tightly shut eyes.

"The love is gone

The love is gone,

The sweetest dream

That you have ever known,

The love is gone

The love is gone,

I wish you well

But I must leave you now alone,"

Allister grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around, "It's Bakura isn't it? Do you think your little peasant boy can take care of you better than I can?  
Tea simply brushed his hand away

"There comes a moment in your life

Like a window, and you see,

Your future there before you

And how perfect life can be,

But adventure calls with unknown voices

Pulling you away,

Be careful or you may regret

The choice you make someday,

When love is gone

The love is gone,

The sweetest dream

That you have ever known,

The love is gone

The love is gone,

I wish you well

But I must leave you now alone,"

Nevertiri slowly approached the doorway out of the garden house. She felt ALister place a hand on her right shoulder and lowered her head.

Tea and Alister: "It was almost love

It was almost always

It was like a fairytale, we'd live out You and I

And yes some dream come true,

And yes some dreams fall through,"

Tea: "And yes the time has come for us to say goodbye,

Yes some dreams come true

Yes some dreams fall through

The love is gone

The love is gone,

I wish you well, but I must leave you now alone."

Neverterri slowly walked away into the deepest portions of the guardian. Alister was about to run after her when another Egyptian boy stepped out of the shrubbery.

"Leave her Alister. You're better off."

"I know. But I can't help but feel she's right. About the Kingdom and the pharaoh."

Just then the stone around his neck glowed resiliently. He lifted the stone in front of his face a good two feet or so away, "Alister here."

A short beam of blue light shone from the stone and an image of one of the high officials,

Raphael. "I see you're not entirely in distress."

"Hey, just stay out of my love life." Alister shouted to the image followed by a chuckle from Varon, "You too!"

Raphael: "Will you too stop it? (silence) Good. Now I have some news that might cheer you up. It seems like you have a potential in your mists."

Both Alister and Varon stopped and starred at their friend from the stone. "You've got to be kidding?" Alister said in surprise, "One of possible royals? In Nekhen?"

"Several actually."

"I'll take the guards and stop every trade ship and caravan from leaving the city until they're found!" Varon said enthusiastically while drawing his dagger out from his belt.

"Don't be so hasty Varon. Our spies in enchantments have informed us that one of the potentials is in custody of one of the rebel leaders. If our enemies actually obtain the real child before we do, our job will become considerably harder."

But the energetic teen just waved his dagger around like a full sword, "It's about time those blokes started poking their heads up. And with one of their leaders scuffling about in our turf we'll have the others before the day is out. See yeh!" Varon then raced through the lake and disappeared back into the governor's palace.

Alister sighed and turned back to Raphael, "Anything else we need to know?"

"Yeah, don't get killed." With that the general's image vanished.

The Captain sat down at his seat in the gazebo and pulled out a large rolled up piece of paper and unrolled it. Several glowing dots appeared in various spots on the map of the city and he gazed peculiarly at the one closest to his location, "Well Princess, the love maybe gone, but I still need you."

At the other end of town Joey, Yugi, Tristan, and Bakura had stopped behind a Courthouse to rest,

"Huf huf. I huf think huf we lost them. Huf." Tristan rasped heavily. All of them were bent over from running nearly three miles away from the robed hunters.

Yugi collapsed and sat himself against the wall, "That…was…close." He glanced over to Bakura who close to passing out, "Are you okay?"

The albino boy gazed over to him. His eyes blinked in surprise of the child's concern, "Yes…thank you." Bakura threw his bag of loot to the blond, "I owe you my life. How can I ever repay you?"

"You can start by giving Yugi back his charm." Joey scolded after searching through the contents in the bag.

Bakura pouted and reached into his robes. He dropped the golden eye of Hores and stood up, "Good day gentlemen."

"Hold it." Joey said grabbing him by the shoulder, "Those definitely weren't police marshals. So why are they after you?"  
"I don't know!" Bakura shouted turning back to the taller teen, "I just know that they're spies for the pharaoh."

Yugi: "The pharaoh? You means Dartz?"

Bakura: "Yeah. Who else?"  
Tristan glanced at Yugi and Joey, "Hey, do you suppose they think he's just like Yugi?"

Yugi: "A prince of Egypt?"  
Bakura: "What are you talking about?"

Tristan: "Eh guys, we better get going."

The boys looked down the road and quickly hid inside four large pottery jars. Two tall robed men stopped in front of the jars.

Robed guy 1: "Where did they go?"

Robed guy 2: "They got to be around here somewhere."

A third ran to them from the other end of the road, "Our scanners have found another potential in the palace."

RG1: "What! How's that possible!"  
RG2: "Never mind how let's get going!"

RG3: "But what of the albino?"

RG2: "Leave him. The marshals will get him soon. Now come on it's almost sundown."

The men disappeared down the road.

"Did you hear that?" Joey said poking his head from the jar.

Tristan "Sounds like there're more potentials in this city than we thought.

Yugi: "Joey?"  
Joey: "Yes."

Yugi: "We've gotta find him and get him away from those guys."

Tristan: "Yugi! He's in the palace. We'll never get close to there alive."

Bakura gazed into the ceramic jar wide-eyed and afraid. He then sprung his head to the three travelers around him, "Why are you looking for those potentials yourselves?"

Joey glanced at him and frowned, "Cause my brother's one of them. We're looking for as many as we can get rid of Datz forever."

The white haired teen leaped out of the jar and sprinted down an alleyway, "Follow me I'll take you to the palace."

The three Toshka boys starred at each other before following the thief down the road.

Bakura: _"Hold on Tea."_

The hot desert sun had finally disappeared beyond the limestone structures and desert dunes. In the cool spacious bedroom of the mansion Tea was placing all her travel cloths and personal items in a fine wooden trunk.

"Where are you going my lady?" a servant asked who was waiting at the door.

"I'm going back to Kerma. I don't think I can stand another day with Alister of this government work. Can you see that my camel is ready to depart first thing in the mourning."

"I will my lady." The servant girl answered before disappearing through the silk cretins.

Tea looked through her dressers one more time before finding a folded parchment. She gazed at it for several long moments. The girl adjusted her ornamented wig and slid the paper into a carry bag.

"It's a shame you cannot stay with us Nevertiri."

Quickly she spun around to the balcony. Alister was sitting leisurely in a golden chair draped with the finest linen in the land. "Alister!"

He stood up and slowly neared her at the center of the room, "Unfortunately you will not be heading south."

"What are you doing here!" Tea shouted. She gasped when Alister drew a dagger from his belt.

Alister: "My master wants to see you, Princess."

* * *

I'm sorry I haven't update this in a while. I'll try to update the next shapter sooner. Say anything you want. The good ones with encourage a faster update, flamers will defrost my computer. R&R.

Celtic Guardian: What happened to it?

Jgal: The heaters broke down.


	6. Chapter Five: Escape

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Gi Oh or the songs I'm using in here. I don't even own this title either!

**Prince of Egypt  
Escape**

Tiny flames of blue fire sparked to life around a dark chamber deep beneath the royal palace. Through the little vaults of light the stone carvings upon the chamber walls revealed their splendor and majesty. Carefully crafted statues of dragons, elves, wizards, monsters large and small bared arms against one another in a dazzling display.

"So beautiful." A majestic voice echoed throughout the cavern, "Such power and grace." A person within the shadows reached out to one of the carvings and felt every detail of a serpent creature. "The power of the Shadow Games is tremendous…and yet it has eluded from my grasp!"

The light flickered and flared up, revealing the regal king of Egypt Dartz. In his white and blue robes unfamiliar to the lands the young lord was kneeling to an alter where three, foot high statues stood. One, a long jagged serpent creature. The second, a tall muscular figure looking like a monstrous pharaoh. And finally in the center a plated dragon/bird. Dartz starred at the three monuments for a long enlightening moment before tossing them aside with his arm. "Curses to that wrenched pharaoh! If he didn't send away his child the secret of the shadow game would've been mine! Now even after fifteen years of searching the prince or princess is still not found."

Just then his most loyal servant Raphael entered the sacred chamber, "Pardon my intrusion master."

"Please me tell you have good news for a change." Dartz said frustratingly as he rubbed his temples.

"Out spotters have located a potential in our own offices in Nekhen. The Nomarch to be more precise"

The blue haired king grinned, "An unusual position for a renegade royal."

"Indeed Master Dartz. As we speak Alister is apprehending her."

Dartz chuckled to himself, "Poor poor Neverteri. It seems our long years of waiting have finally paid off."

* * *

"Alister! What is the meaning of all this!" Tea nearly screamed as the captain of the guard slowly approached her with his dagger in hand. 

"No need to be frightened princess. The pharaoh just wants to see you."

"Yeah sure." she said grabbing an ornamental spear from the wall behind her, "And just why has he taken such interest in me?"

Alister shrugged mockingly, "I don't know my dear… maybe it's for your concern for the people, perhaps its because you turned down his generous gift…" he then gave her a sinister leer, "… or maybe it's because you are one of the potentials we were looking for."

Neverteri gasped in fear, "What? But how can that be!"  
Alister: "I do not know myself. But no matter, it's my duty to return every potential to the capital…to be tested."

Tea's surprise immediately grew to fear. Ever since the search began none of the recovered potentials ever returned from Men-nefer alive. "You're mad if you think I'll go with you."

"I knew you'd say that." And with that Alister charged toward Tea. She dodged to her left and struck him of the back with the pole of her spear.

"Ah!" He fell onto the stone floor with a hard thud and slashed his dagger to her catching her gown. Tea tripped over him and the silken curtains and desperately screamed for help.

* * *

Meanwhile outside Bakura had led the others into the garden outside the palace. 

"Hey Ivorytop! Where are you taking us!" Joey shouted ahead to the albino, only to be suddenly stopped by a hand over his mouth.  
"Shh!" Bakura hissed signaling everyone else to hide within the shadows of the palace walls. They all looked up to see an archery guard patrolling the walls to and from the sentry towers.

Tristan crouched down over Yugi to further hide themselves, "Exactly what are we going to do?" he whispered quietly.

"Just what Yugi said. We have to get that other potential before Dartz's guards do." Joey said boldly as he reached behind him for a short wooden pole. "Whoever is in there might be the prince."

"Or princess." Bakura added. His eyes glued to the guard passing over them.

Yugi gazed to the dark shadows ahead of them. The raising moon shone brightly into the garden creating a crystal-like appearance to the plants and sleeping flowers that weren't shrouded in shadows. _"It looks so beautiful out here,"_ he then looked up to cold brick towers, _"And in there someone could be killed…oh Osiris why are things so horrible for us mortals?"_

The young thief grabbed Joey by the hand. "The coast is clear. We better hurry before he comes back." The other three boys followed Bakura to a heavily shaded corner in the palace walls. Carefully Bakura moved aside a jar pot revealing a hole within the stone. Inside was a rope with the stone tied to one end.  
Tristan: "What's this for?"

"You'll see." Bakura then grabbed three small stones off the ground and began to toss them to a window above.

When the third stone cracked against the window a maid in the mansion appeared at the window. "Bakura!"  
Bakura: "Shh! The Nomarch's in danger!"

The maid gasped, "Then cast the stone. You do not have much time."

With that the albino thief twirled the rope like a lasso and threw the rock attached to the window. The maid caught it and secured it within the room. Bakura quickly climbed up the window with Tristan, Yugi, and Joey not far behind.

Once inside all of them laid down on the cool floor, exhausted from the constant running and hiding. Little Yugi gazed in awe of the interior of the palace room. Fine cloths and tapestries he had never seen before hung elegantly from the ceiling and down from the shelves and chests. Statues and gold figurines of the gods were arranged and a navigational mess. But what caught his eyes more intensely was the numerous stone tablets the littered the tables. No larger then his fist the tablets held fine carvings of creatures and figures unknown to him. He forced his feet and wondered to the tablet covered table. "Wow. What are these?"

"Where exactly are we?" Joey asked gazing at the fancy robes and gold treasures fro his seat, "The storeroom?"

The maid who helped them walked over to the smaller boy and kneeled down to his level, "Pretty aren't they?"

Yugi: "Excuse me madam but what are these? Some sort of gods? Cause I've never seen anything like these in our old temples."

The kind maid shook her head, "No. Replicas of the tablets used during the Shadow Games."

Yugi's eyes widened in disbelief, "So they actually were real!"

Maid: "Yes. These tablets were made to encourage children into studying the deadly game and inspire new players to defend the country. However when the secrets were sealed many of these tablets were abandoned and our lady collected them in here."

Yugi looked back to the plates of stone. He picked one up that held the image of a round ball with circular eyes and claws feet, "I wish they real now. We can really use their help."

The maid stood up straight, "Would you like to keep one?"

The young multicolored haired boy gazed up at her in shock, "That's nice of you but I can't. Your mistress-"

Maid: "She will not notice. Besides if what Bakura says is true she will have no need for them."

With an understanding smile Yugi gazed back again to the tablets. "I think I'll take this one here. If you do not mind of course."

The maid smiled and he placed the one in his hand in his special sack with the golden eye.

Bakura was already into the chests and pulling out weapons; A sword, a dagger, and an scythe with decorative coloring typical for a royal army. "Pick one."

Tristan: "What do you mean? We can't fight the royal guard! Even with these things!"

"We're not going to…kill anybody…are we?" Yugi asked nervously wrapping his arms around himself for security.

Joey stood up and grabbed the scythe from its place, "Only if we don't have any choice."

Tristan: "Joey are you crazy! We can't afford to have blood on our hands!"  
"We haven't gone all this way for nothing." Joey then grabbed the sword and tossed it to Tristan, "Might not be an axe but we can't complain."

Yugi glumly reached for the dagger when it was snatched from his reach, "Huh?"  
Bakura clinched the dagger in his hand and shook his head to the boy.

"Aaaahh!"

Everyone in the room jumped when a desperate scream echoed within the palace.

Bakura's eyes widened in fear, "TEA!"

"Ah!" Alister jumped back onto his feet only to meet against the steaming incense oils thrown to his face.

Tea retreated behind her bed scrambling for another sort of weapon.

Alister: "There's no use escaping wench."

Tea: "You're not going to take me alive."

Alister snickered, "Well then, I'm glad the power can be taken from the dead then." With that he charged at her again."

Katink!

"Gaaah!"

Tea gasped in shock when a blur of white shot in front of her taking full force of the dagger, "Bakura!"

The thief hunched over onto the bed with his hand clutched on his abdomen.

The Egyptian guard grinned satisfyingly, "Well at least that's one problem out of my way."

"Alister. How can you be so cruel?" Neverteri cried out as she rushed to Bakura's side.

He motioned her to get away from him and hide, "I'll be fine Tea. Just run and hide yourself."

Tea: "I'm not leaving you."

"Alright bub! What's the big idea picking on innocent ladies?" Joey said as he and the others rushed in surrounding the captain. Yugi ran to the two on the bed, "Is everyone alright?"

Bakura: "It's just a flesh wound. I'm fine."

Tea: "Who are you?"

Alister look around at him opposition, "Well isn't this interesting. Peasants baring arms against me?" with that he charged toward the bed.

Joey dodged just in time between him and the others holding back the sword with his scythe. Yugi and Tea raced to the other side of the room with Bakura hanging over each other's shoulder.

"Grr. You won' get away!" The captain shouted. He reached for his belt and threw a handful of blue sands at them. "Power of the Oricalcos!"

Tea knelt down to shield Bakura from the cursed matter, "Ahhhh!"

However the powders never reached them. Instead they were whisked away by the sudden flash of thick brown cloth. A shrouded figure formed from the phantom cloth positioned between the ruthless captain and his innocent victems. Irritated, Alister grabbed a sward from one of the guardian statues, "Whoever you are you're dead!"

The figure just waved hi cloak at the captain releasing the same magical powder at him.

Alister fell to the ground, knocking over another stand of buring incence onto the draps, which rapidly caught aflame. Paralyzed and shivering in pain, he starred up at his adversry, "Wh Whooo a….are you?"

The stranger removed his hood revealing his pale stern face and flowing lavender locks. He stood above the 'mighty' Captain of the Guard and angled his sward to his throat. "Tell your 'Pharaoh', that his days are numbered."

Yugi smiled brightly, "You're alright!"

Dark Magician looked back at the other boys and quickly counted heads, "everyone alright?"

Tristan: "Yeah. You saved our butts man. Thanks."

Joey: "We thought we'd go and search out some potentials while we're here."

Dark Magician: "That's noble, however our plans of escaping has been faltered."

Joey: "What! What do you mean we can't get a boat!"

Tea: "The head marshal has quarantined every ship and caravan from leaving Nekhen"

Tristan: "So we're stuck then. That's just great."

Suddenly loud clanks and scraps or steal on stone marched their way up the stairwell.

Joey: "Now what?"

Tea: "The guards! They must've heard the noise up here."

Yugi: "We have to get out of here."

"Follow me." said Bakura. He stumbled across the large luxurious chamber to a gold and black panther statue. He reached his hand to the god's head and pulled on of the ears back. Next to the stature a section of the wall cave way to unveil a fleet of stone steps covered in dust and shadows.

"Don't let them get away!" a guard shouted, and a dozen guards soon stormed the room.

Imhotep waved his hand in the direction of the soldiers causing a section of the burning roof to cave in.

Tea watched wide eyed, "What are you doing!"

"Sorry princess can't explain let's go!" Joey quickly said as he threw her over his shoulder.  
Tea: "Wha! Hey let go of me!"

"Go one get out of here! Go!" Dark Magician shoved the two down the secret passage. He next grabbed Yugi and was about to go down too but suddenly a section of ceiling came crashing down over the exit. More guards came running into the room blocking the only other way out.

Alister: "Get them!"

Dark looked around desperately, holding the boy tightly in his arms, "Grr! We're trapped."

Yugi quickly looked around. His eyes immediately locked onto a rope line leading from the roof to another lower building next to palace. "No we're not." He then broke away and grabbed two spears from the fallen guards. "Follow me!" he shouted tossing one of the spears to Imhotept. The multi colored haired boy jumped to the window and threw one end of the wooden spear over the line. He grabbed onto the stick on both sides of the line and jumped. Dark Magician not for behind. He glided easily down the line to a hay pile just below by the stables.

Yugi: "Oof!"

Imhotep: "Ah! Aw. You alright?"

Yugi: "Yeah…lets get out of here."

Joey, Tristen, Bakura, and Tea watched from the outskirts of the city. Tristan kept a firm hold of their hostage while Joey watched in horror of the flames raising from the palace.

"YUGI!" he screamed and threw himself to the desert sands. "Curse you Dartz! Curse you!" Tears swelled in his eyes as his anger soon turned to mourning. "Yugi…you can't be dead…you can't…"

Tristan: "Maybe found another way out."

Neverteri: "Unlikely. They didn't come through the passage and by now the place is swarming with guards. Your friends were brave but you just might need to-

"Listen here lady!" Joey shouted springing back to his feet and grabbing harshly by the shoulders, "Don't EVER speak about him in a past tense! I know they're BOTH going to come out of there alive!"

Bakura: "Let go of her!"

"Joey!" said a voice behind him. Joey jumped and spun around to see both his brother and the Dark Magician walking up to them from the city border.

"Yugi!" The two boys dropped Tea and ran straight to him, holding him in a tight bear hug.

Yugi: "It's glad to see you too guys…uh...can you please let go? I can't breath!

Tristan was the first to pull away, "But now what are we going to do? We still don't have a ship and they have the map.

"You mean this?" Tea asked pulling out a folded piece of parchment from her carry bag.

Joey: "What's that?"

Dark Magician sternly approached the maiden with a cold expression on his face, "My I?"

With little argument she handed over her prized possession to the stranger. He unfolded the manuscript and his eyes widened with wonder.

Yugi: "Well...?

Dark Magician: "This is it…the map."

* * *

Back In Men-nefer

Raphael entered the shrine again after a messenger bird had returned from it's post, "Master Dartz. We've just received word from our hunters in Nekhen. The princess has escaped,"

Dartz: "Why am I surprised?"

Raphael: "and they have the sacred map."

Dartz: "Humph, So we'll just have to settle with the weaker duplicates. Do you have any sort of GOOD news for once?"

Raphael: "Yes. It has been confirmed that one of the rebels has been gathering the potentials. It seems that even they cannot pinpoint the real child."

Dartz: "Yes they are a tricky bunch aren't they? Where were they last seen?"

"Heading east across the Nile River toward Waset."

The king of Egypt then lowered his head in thought.

After a long uneasy moment Raphael spoke, "I'll send the troops after them immediately."

Dartz: "No."

Raphael "But sir, once they've passed Waset it'll be impossible to track them."

Dartz: "Have a scout follow them. If the rebels are collecting potentials the only place to bring them would be their home camp. Commission the force captain to lead the search party. They must not escape again."

Raphael: "The eastern desert is large and dangerous. It would take months just to cross."

Once again the pharaoh closed his eyes in deep thought. The key to finding out the secrets he'd longed is so close to his grasp he could taste it.

Raphael: "Sir?"

Dartz opened his eye as if he saw a new realization, "Summon the Oracle."

Raphael: "The Oracle! Master is that wise?"

Dartz: "These are desperate times my friend. It is because of the Oracle that I have achieved this power in the first place."

Raphael: "But the risks-"

Dartz: "Are nothing compared to the secrets of the Shadow Realm, and the power it contains."

Raphael bowed, "Very well. I'll send word to our allies in Byblos and request for the Oracle."


	7. Chapter Seven: Out of the Frying Pan

Jgal: What can I say I don't own Yugi, the monsters, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Bekura….

Pegasus: Me?

Jgal: Eeek! What are you doing here!

Pegasus: I just came to see if you reconsidered my offer.

Jgal: What offer?

Pegasus: To cast me in your fic.  
Jgal: Eh….let me get back to you on it.

Pegasus: Please Jgalgirl.

Jgal: Don't call me that!

**Prince** **of** **Egypt  
Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Sea**

"So let me get this straight; you had the map the whole time and yet Dartz is still able to find potentials?" Joey asked while peaking at the fish over the campfire to see if they're done.

Since the disaster in the capital building the wizard, the three boys, the thief, and the governess ran out of the city borders and guard's sight in the cover of night. By sunrise they were finally safe by the river and taken camp. Imhotep and Bakura were resting under a palm tree. Yugi and Tristan were down by the water shores to catch any fish they could while Joey and Tea were cooking the fish.

"Yes. The pharaoh's hunters have a similar map but it's not as accurate as the original. I found it in a cave near the rocky dunes from where I lived before I came here to study law."

Joey: "Did you show your boyfriend this?"

Tea: "No. Not after all the damage he's done."

"Well I don't know how to tell you this but the government is filled with nothing but dirt bags and camel turds." Tristan said in an annoyed tone as he threw his spear into the water. He gabbed the spear down and yanked out a large fish. Yugi tried the same technique with a smaller stick but was nearly washed away by the current.

"Whoa! Easy there Yug!" Tristan said grabbing him by the color of his shirt and pulled him out of the water. "Don't want yeh to drown."

Once everyone had their fill they stayed by the fire to rethink their plans.

"Are you alright Imhotep? You seemed awfully sick yesterday." Yugi said look up to the Dark Magician sitting next to him.

The rouge wizard looked down at him and gave him a weak smile, "Your concern id touching but there's no need to worry."

"Let's take a look at this shall we." Joey then grabbed the bag that Tea brought from the palace and pulled out the map.

The boys gathered around to see what the map beheld. Carefully the blond haired teen unfolded the map. Inside, columns of old old writing lined the sides of the parchment. In the center was an image of the entire country. From the northern most tips out the Nile, to every colony since the first nomads arrived in Egypt.

Bakura: "Wow."

Yugi: "So that's how big the country is."

Tristan: "What does it say Joey?"

Joey scanned the writing and shifted it around to the sides and upside down. But he could get a single word of it, "I don't know how to tell you guys but I can't read a word of it."

"How's that!" Tristan demanded as he took the map from Joey's hands.

Tea screamed, "Careful! Don't rip it!"

"Allow me." Dark Magician said carefully taking the scroll. He examined the text and sighed heavily. "I was afraid on this."

Yugi: "What is it?"

Dark Magician: "It's a hybrid of Ancient Egyptian and Shadow Realm code."

All the humans gasped in surprise.

Tea: "Shadow Realm!"

Bakura: "The realm of Shadows."

Joey: "So the legends ARE true!"

The mage nodded. "With this spell protecting the maps valuable information we cannot begin our search. Not unless we had the Hawk's Eye."

Everyone just starred at him confused.

"Hawk's Eye?" Yugi finally asked inquisedly.

Dark Magician: "Yes the charm that originally sealed the sacred map."

"A charm!" Joey screamed jumping up to his feet, "You're saying now we have to find a charm in order to read the map!"

Imhotep nodded, "Yes. This map has a secret magical encoding that can only be unveiled by the Eye of the Hawk's charm. Without it reading it will be impossible."

"What does it look like?" Tea asked hoping she hadn't seen it within the palace they had escaped from.

"I do not know. These years of exile and wondering the country has made my memory slip a little of the palace like and archives. During the revolution when the map was stolen the libraries in which it was stored was burned and the surviving manuscript and treasures were scattered across the country."

Bakura: "What happened to it?"

"It's probably been thrown away. But if it still exists, there's only one place to find it." Dark Magician said with a heavy heart and refolded the manuscript.

Joey: "Well what are we waiting for let's go!"

"No!" Imhotep said sharply, "We are not safe here. And neither are we in a position to go off on any uncertain ventures."

"But where will we go. Alister's troops are bound to find us if we stay here." Tea said readjusting her Nubian style wig.

"Our first objective is to get all of you to safety. It is never wise to travel in a large group."

Tristen: "Then where to now?"

Dark Magician: "East. To Timna. Past the mines of Serabit Khadim."

"Serabit Khadim!" Yugi gasped in surprise, "But didn't it fall to the Bedouins and Kushits years ago?"

Dark Magician: "Yes. It's isolated from the rest of Dartz reign and nearly impossible to reach with troops."

"And you want us to go there!" Tea exclaimed. "That's impossible!"

* * *

But they were going anyway. With Imhopet's magics and Bakura's skill of the streets they managed to acquire four more robes and cloaks to conceal their identity as they made their way back into the city and to the city docks.

Guards and soldiers surrounded the ingoing and outgoing ports as traders sold and purchased their goods. Lettuce, pottery and beer, for linen, ivory, and blocks of fine black granite stones.

"Oh wow!" Yugi exclaimed gazing out at the variety of goods and treasures he had never seen before in his life despite his experience trading at the family bazaar. "This is amazing!" he exclaimed breathing in the different aromas of imported incense.

"Yeah great now get back over here before you're left behind." Joey said harshly grabbing Yugi by the robe and readjusted the hood to conceal his face. "We've got to stay together in this one. With all these people around we can get lost way too easily."

"I'm sorry Joey."

"It's ok bro. We just need to hang tough for a while. Especially right now." With that Joey took Yugi by the hand and headed to the main port where the others were waiting.

Tristan was scratching his arms and chest like crazy, "Geez! Why do they have to make these things so itchy! It feels like there're about a hundred fleas living in here!"

"Hey! They're the best I could find in such short notice!" Bakura snapped back.

"Will you two behave yourselves!" Neverteri scolded walking toward them with a small papyrus scroll in her hands. She walked over to the Dark Magician and unrolled the scroll in front of him. "This is a list of all the ships that will be departing today."

Imhotep took the list and scanned for an opportunity, "No doubt that Dartz soldiers will inspect each ship before departure; especially after what happened last night."

Bakura: "So we we'll have to board a ship after the troops look around inside."

Tristan: "Yeah but which ones past the test? There're soldiers everywhere."

Joey then cocked his head toward a ship closest to the harbor's mouth. "It looks like that one is about to leave."

Tristan: "Then let's move it before we loose it."

Quickly and carefully all six of them headed toward the ship. It was headed toward Thinis. A city further upstream from Nekhen and one of the oldest cities in Egypt. Instead of heading toward the docking peer Imhotep led the children down below the docking bridge where a small boat was tied. Using a long pole he maneuvered the little ferry to them on the land. He then motioned them to the boat. "Ok we'll have to do this two at a time."

Reluctantly Yugi and Bakura climbed onto the ferry and Dark Magician cautiously rowed them to the trade ship. Once hidden under the peer He placed his hand on the curved hall of the ship. Soft blue light glowed around the wood touching his hand. A hole soon appeared shining into the ship's hold. The hold grew till it was about a two feet in diameter.

Two by two they boarded onto the ship through the passageway. Once everyone was inside Imhotep sealed the hole and opened a compartment inside the floorboards. Inside there was a chamber just large enough for all of them.

Yugi: "What's this?"

Dark Magician: "Smuggler's hold now get in."

"Make way for Force Captain Valentine!" A soldier's voice barked followed by the sound of one kicking one of the workers out the way..

Hearing the soldiers the rushed inside the chamber. First Tristan and Yugi, followed by Tea, Bakura, Joey, and Imhotep. The wizard tightly shut the trap door above and positioned himself closest to the door ready to attack.

A soldier in sharp gold plated armor and tiger skin robes stepped into the cargo barge. The curved decorated helmet hid the soldier's face from view giving it a terrifying look. Another soldier in black and red tint armor stepped beside the first and glared around the room.

"Come on let's get it over with." The more intimidating soldier sneered eyeing the frightened sailors and passengers.

"Don't get your loins in a bunch once those potentials are found we won't have to play customs anymore."

The first inspector kicked a barrel up front. The container flew to the other side of the room and exploded on impact on the wall.

The renegades fought not to scream in fright even though the barrel was directly above their heads. Joey held his brother close to himself and Bakura wrapped his arms around Tea tightly. Dark Magician reached his hand into his cloak ready to pull out his dagger at any moment.

"Come on let's go." The Force Captain ordered and stomped out. The other troops followed behind.

One of the hooded rouges slowly opened the trap door a crack to see.

"Get down!" Tea hissed pulling him back behind the barrels.

Joey: "Did you see that?"

"Yes and if you don't shut up they'll see us and it's curtains for us!" Tristen hushed jamming his hand over the blonde's mouth.

* * *

Soon enough the ship sailed off down the Nile river. The ship rocked back and forth to the current.

"Urg. How long it this trip going to last?" Neverteri asked while holding her stomach. Bakura gently wrapped his arms around her to comfort her.

"Seasick already princess? Well get used to it cause it's not going to me cushy tooshy from now on." Joey said sharply yet quietly so not to wake Yugi who had fallen asleep next to him.

"Hey you think my job was easy you bumbling blowhard!" she snapped back forgetting about the uneasiness of her stomach, "I wasn't some no brained calcubine! I was the Nomarch! A leader of the people! I fought with everything in my power to make them happier and their lives better!"

Joey: "Like what!"

Tea: "Who suggested establishing schools in low class areas not just near the wealthy or high class citizens?"

"Neverteri." Yugi yawned rubbing his eyes.

Joey: "Yugi?"

"She's right. It's because of her that the scribal school I went to was built and accessible to everyone. Even Chancellor Kaiba agreed with her idea." The smaller boy then looked away from everyone who was starring at him in amazement. "I eh, heard about it during my rounds with Grandpa."

Suddenly a knick came down onto the trap door. "Alright come on out of there."

Tristan: "Great thanks a lot you two!"

Imhotep jumped to his feet a stood only a little off from directly underneath, dagger ready in hand.

Slowly the handle of the trap door became loose and opened. The others hurried to the farthest corner and clutched onto each other. There was nowhere to go left besides into the river where the crocodiles and hippopotamuses were waiting. Bakura drew out his own dagger and Joey brought out his scythe from the palace. They moved in front of the others and were about to join the Dark Magician in what would be a battle to the death

A tall, muscular man in a greenish brown cloak jumped down into the chamber with a long sword strapped into his belt. "Trespassers are not allowed down here." The guard said holding onto the frame of the exit with one hand and his sword with the other.

Dark Magician gave a crooked grin under his hood, "And what will you do? Throw us overboard?"

"If need be." The soldier smiled back and slid his sword out of its sheath.

The mage then charged toward the guard. They jumped up and disappeared through the trap door.

"What the-!" Joey and Bakura exclaimed. Loud clashes of steel echoed from the main cargo hold.

"Sounds like our friend is in trouble." Tristan said leaning toward the exit to see what was happening.

Yugi then sprung out to the trap door and climbed up the ladder.

Joey: "Yugi no!"

Yugi peered through to see Imhotep and the guard striking blades and dodging blows between large barrels of cargo and bails of grain. Dark Magician leaped onto a barrel. The guard jabbed his sword at him but the wizard jumped over his head at the last second. He landed just behind the swordsman, spun around and clutched his arm around the soldier's neck, "You're getting slow you know."

The guard grinned, "No," with that he grabbed him by the cloak's shoulders and flipped him over his head. "you're just a little too confident."

Yugi look on in horror, "No!"

Imhotep grunted as he fell into a busted up bail of straw. He felt the tip of the sword on his throat. He looked to see his assailant throw off his hood revealing somewhat long blue hair, hazel eyes, and two thin scars on the side of the face.

"It's been a while, Imhotep." The guard said this time with a more gentle smile.

"Almost too long."

Unexpectedly Yugi ran between the two knocking the sword away from the mage with his arm cutting it slightly, "Stay away from him! I'll do anything you want just don't harm him or my friends!"

"Yugi get beck here!" Joey screamed sprinting out of the smuggler's hold and running toward him.

"It's alright. All of you." Imhotep said standing back on his feet, "He is a friend."

Cautiously the other climbed out of the secret compartment and stretched their legs after being cramped inside for several hours.

"Come on up to the deck. You must be exhausted from being stuck down there so long." The guard named Mayko, the Legendary Fisherman said herding the children up the stairs from the cargo hold.

"You bet." Tea said hurrying up the stairs with Bakura over her shoulder. The would he received from the earlier battle was not fully healed yet.

* * *

"So you two know each other?" Yugi and Joey asked as they walked behind the two men to the upper deck of the ship.

Legendary Fisherman: "Up until the rebellion we used to battle in the shadow games together. But long before then we grew up together in our own world."

As everyone was resting or helping the sailors Mayko signaled Imhotep into the captain's cabin, "Still looking for the prince?"

Dark Magician: "Yes, but it's strange. Before last night the targets have always been male. This time they've even attacked their own Nomarch. A woman."

Mayko looked out the window and held his head, "I was afraid of this. There weren't any records of the royal child's birth when it came to the gender of the child. All these years they only hunted the males because the child they found during the rebellion was male."

"That does explain things a bit." Imhotep pondered looking out the window to the passing land across the Nile.

Legendary Fisherman: "This doesn't make our search any easier."

Dark Magician: "On the contrary. The sacred map has been discovered."

Mayko suddenly froze in his place. His eyes widened further then they've ever been. He looked at his friend astonished and said in a rasped whisper, "You found it?"

Dark lifted off his hood and nodded, "I am certain that one of those children is the lost ruler of Egypt."

"How can you be so sure?" the swordsman said sitting down at his desk with his hand on his head.

The mage sat opposite of him and leaned back exhausted, "Of all the potentials, or of all humans, they're the bravest and most loyal beings I've ever come across."

* * *

"Bwhaa!"

"Ew!"

"Don't aim over here!"

Joey was leaning over the railing when a large wave lifted the ship and dived back down.

"Don't worry Joey it's okay. Just keep breathing." Yugi said holding him by the shoulders and rubbing circles on his back.

Joey forced his head up to look at the younger teen, "Thanks buddy. I don't do well on ships."

"You never even been on a ship." Tristan said confusedly.

"Really?" Joey thought for a moment and held his head groggily, "I guess my memory is coming back."

"His memory?" Tea asked after rebandaging the albino's wound.

Joey looked back to the rushing waters with the gleaming sun reflecting the setting sun into his eyes. "A long story. Forget it."

* * *

Night soon fell and the day crew and refuges gathered to the lower deck for the night. Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Bakura, and Tea decided to bunk back into the cargo hold.

However Joey couldn't sleep. He laid on the hay bail gazing up at the ceiling. After an hour or so he carefully got up without waking Yugi, and wondered around the lower deck.

Not long after he left the Dark Magician visited the chamber. He spotted all but one on them asleep on the open bails of straw with their oversized cloaks as blankets. His eyes were then focused on Yugi curled up into a ball with his cloak turned down off him. He reached over and placed the blanket back over him. He brushed some stray hairs from his face and quietly left the room.

* * *

The tall Egyptian boy stopped by the stables where rare Arabian stallions and camels were settling down for the night.

"Well well well, What do we have here?" He heard an obnoxious voice said behind him. Joey turned around to see another unbleached haired man nearly twice his size with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Keith? Hard to believe you're alive. Last I saw of you you were banished from Toshka for wrecking grandpa's store."

Keith: "Can't keep a good bandit down."

Joey glared at his adversary and was about to walk away when Keith pulled him back. "What are you doing on this cruse? I know you're not here to join the trade union it's just not your style. So tell me, you're not looking for the lost child are you?"

Joey froze in his place. Was his old rival one of the king's agents?

* * *

Back in the captain's cabin the Legendary Fisherman and the Dark Magician had opened a barrel of importing ale.

"To the royal child." Mayko said raising his cup in the air.

"Wherever he maybe. Or she." Imhotep replied taking only a small sip before holding his head in agony.

Just before Mayko was about to glug down his fill he noticed that something wasn't right with his friend, "What's wrong?"

Dark Magician: "What's what?"

Legendary Fisherman: "You look paler then usual."

Dark set his glass down on the desk rocking back and forth along the waves and massaged his temples, "Just fatigue. It comes and goes occasionally."

Legendary Fisherman: "I can only pray that it doesn't affect your performance on this mission. With the Dartz's forces getting more and more desperate we cannot afford any mishaps."

Suddenly a squire ran in petrified in fear, "Captain! Pirates! Pirates!"

* * *

Read and Review!

Oh yeah sorry this one doesn't have a song but I promise the next chapter will. An oh, I forgot to say in the last chappy that Tea's song 'The Love is Gone' came from Jim Henson's Muppet Christmas Charel. Silly yes but the song was touching.

Pegasus: So, can I get a part?

Jgal: We'll see.

Pegasus: On come on Jgalgirl.

Jgal: Call me that one more time and you'll be cast as a begger!


	8. Chapter Eight: Deliver Us

The Prince of Egypt 

A squire ran in petrified in fear, "Captain! Pirates! Pirates are heading our way!"

The Legendary Fisherman and the Dark Magician immediately sprung to their feet. Mayko rushed outside his cabin door throwing his cloth mask over his face. Dark Magician quickly followed concealing his face from the view of the ships night crew. He stood next to the captain gazing out to the vast Nile River. A swarm of ships with black sails awaited them up them up the river. Mighty ores extended from the sides, cutting the water's surface as they rowed the ship from its spot….on the hunt for passing ships.  
"What do we do what do we do!" the squire whimpered in fear.  
Legendary Fisherman: "Awaken the troops! All hands on deck!"  
The squire hurriedly ran to the main mast and began ringing a huge cast iron bell.

Dong! Dong! Dong! Dong!

The sound carried all across the river and into the very bowls of the merchant ship, disturbing the sleep of every crewman and seafighter  
Even down below in the cargo hold the piercing echo aroused the human refuges from their slumber.  
"Urrrrrh, what's going on?" Neverteri asked in mid yawn, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light.  
Bakura sat up more alert and listened carefully, "Sounds like trouble."  
Tristan: "Then let's check it out."  
And with that he was already halfway up the stairs to the upper decks.  
Yugi sat up and rubbed his eyes sleepily. For a quick moment he sensed that something was not right. And it wasn't the oncoming attack. He saw his brother's cloak next to him with no one in it. "(Gasp) Where's Joey?"  
Tea got up and placed her hands on his shoulders, "Don't worry we'll find him."

Bang crack!  
"Ah!" Joey grunted after his body was thrown onto the wooden feed crates in front of the stalls, breaking them in the process.  
Keith gave a hearty laugh and dusted off his hands, "What a wimp! I've fought corpses that have a more fight then you do"  
The blond struggled to get back on his feet and whipped a smudge of dust and blood from his chin. "At least I know how to fight fair."  
"Fair!" the overgrown brute laughed, "Fair is for losers. I prefer to cheat and steal my way to the top. And once I find that royal kid and those rebels out east, Dartz is going to make me a very wealthy man."  
Joey reached behind him into the stall and griped handful of the manure. "Well I hate to disappoint you but you'll never find him if you searched under every sand dune in Africa."  
Bandit Keith folded his arms amusedly, "Oh And what kind a of proof to you have?"  
Joey then whipped his hand forward releasing the dung onto his attacker's unsuspecting face. "This!"  
"Ah!" the taller blond man backed away in surprise (and disgust). Scraped his hands repeatedly to shave off the warm clingy substance. "ARG! You little turd!" with that he lunged at Joey again blinded by rage.  
Without warning a flash of white dodged in between them, grabbed the bandit Keith and shoved him overboard.  
"Goodbye Keith."  
SPLASH!  
For a brief moment Joey was a little aback of who exactly had saved him in that brief terrifying moment. Once his focus returned he soon recognized the distinguishable long white hair. "Bakura!"  
The thief turned around and smiled down at him, "Yugi got a little worried so we went to search for you."  
Just then a large arrow/spear plunged through the wall.  
Creak tunk!  
The two boys froze in their place, starring at each other and the assault weapon that landed only a mere inch from skewering little Yugi at the stable entrance.  
Boys: "Gee!"  
"Yugi are you alright!" Joey practically screamed stumbling to his feet and running to the door.  
Tea poked her head out the door behind the smaller boy, "What's going on?"  
Joey: "I guess you heard the bells too."  
Tea: "Yeah. We then heard you guys screaming and went to search for you."  
Just then the whizzing sound of more missiles flew overhead. The camels and horses quickly backed up to the end of their stalls to get away from the threatening sounds.  
"You're timing is good too, sounds like there's some serious action going on up there." Joey stated while checking the bandage on Yugi's arm (from scraping against Mayko's sword earlier) and for any other wounds.  
"Is it Dartz forces?" Tea nervously stuttered. She gazed at the stair leading to the main deck expecting a hoard of soldiers marching down to get them.  
"No. It's something else," answered Bakura. He stood strait up, frozen with caution as he tried to listen in to the world outside the stable, "lets go. I don't think the cargo hold is safe anymore."

Everyone raced outside with the crew racing up the stairs. The main deck was a mess workers hurrying to set up shields, ready the defense weapons, and set the sails for an easy getaway.  
Curiosity overriding fear Yugi instantly recognized Dark Magician at the mast and ran strait to him.  
"What are you doing here?" Imhotep asked startled and lightly pushed the boy behind him, "It isn't safe up here."  
Yugi slipped in front of him again to get a better look. As he did so three of the foreign ships had slipped alongside theirs glaring angrily at each other's crew.  
The other refuges gathered next to the Dark Magician and the Legendary Fisherman to get a better look. Despite the distance they could see the tattered and blue-feathered armor of the savage-like crew aboard the enemy ship.  
Tristan: "Who are they?"  
Mayko: "Bedouins. Enemies of Egypt."  
"What do they want?" Tea said shaking in fright and held on close to Bakura's robes. The albino thief wrapped an arm to comfort her.  
"Captain!" a sailor shouted running up from the lower decks, "We've taken some serious damage in the cargo hold. The chamber is filling up with water!"  
Imhotep looked to his friend who now had a shade of gloom over his face, "What now?"  
"You have to get the children to Serabit Khadim."  
More arrow-like missiles soon came hurtling toward them again. They plummeted into barrels, posts, ropes, floors, and even unsuspecting sailors whose troubles were now over. Imhotep, the captain and the other quickly dropped to the floor to avoid any other attack.  
One missile tore through one of the ropes connecting the sails. The canvas sail swung around madly to the wind.  
The ship then began to capsize to the left throwing everyone off their feet. Quickly the grabbed hold on the wooden railing as that side of the deck was nearly at a 180 degree angle.  
Imhotep quickly glanced around to see that all his groups was still in one piece. Joey. Tristan. Bakura. Tea.  
Wait! Where's Yugi!  
He looked downward to see the small boy at the other side as it slowly leaned into the water, "No Yugi!"  
The wild canvas swung around over the side of the deck and broke off the railing sending it and the boy overboard and into the Nile.  
Yugi pulled and dragged himself to the surface. He gasped his head up for air but received only a lung full of the cold river water. "Gah, pit pit! Joey! Glub glub…Joey!"  
Joey slid down the other side and held onto one of the broken railings, "Hang on Yugi!"  
The younger boy struggled to keep himself above the water but the current of the river and the waves of the ships dragged him below. "Joey!" he called just before the water consumed him.  
His brother's eyes widen in fear, "No! Someone get me a rope!"  
"There's no time!" Bakura shouted as he ran passed him and dived into the water.  
Joey reluctantly released the picket and slid off the ship.  
"Hey wait for me!" Tristan shouted next literally running into the water.  
The ship was already halfway capsized, and Imhotep, Tea, and a few of the crew members were hanging to dear life on the remaining railings.  
"Go on!" Mako shouted to his friend. "Go on and save the potentials!"  
Dark Magician: "But what about you!"  
"Don't worry! The sea is my life!" with that he placed his fingers to his lips and released a loud piercing whistle.  
The water below began to bubble a little before a large shark burst out of the river. Mayko released himself from the side of the ship and landed on top of the sharks back. He plunged his hand into the water and drew out a long jagged spear. "We'll handle these buggers here. You just swim for it and tell the wife I'm going to be a little late coming home!" The legendary Fisherman then swan off on the shark and charges toward the enemy ships.  
"Is he going to be alright?" Tea asked slowly loosing her grip.  
"Knowing him the only one you should be worried about are the Bedouins." Dark Magician answered as he wrapped an arm around the former Mayer and plunged into the water with her.

Splishing and sploshing the few survivors dragged themselves to the shore. One by one they collapsed on the floodplain.  
"(huff huff) How is he?" Tristan rasped to Bakura while punching his own chest to release any water from him lungs.  
Joey and the others looked up from their spot to see Bakura drag Yugi to shore he laid the boy down and felt the side of his neck, "He's alright, just knocked out."  
"Thank the gods." The yellow haired teen sighed and held him in his arms.  
"Yo Joey!" Joey heard from across the river as he laid the unconscious Yugi down on the sands. He turned around to see Keith and some of the other survivors swimming to shore.  
Keith: "Looks to me like I've got all the horses!"  
Disgusted Joey stood up and marched to the waterline, "Hey Keith! Look's to me like you're on the wrong side of the river!"  
Seeing as the other boy was right Keith gave a hard frustrated kick in the shallow water.

* * *

"Yugi….Yugi…." a voice echoed from what seemed like from a far distance in Yugi's mind.  
"Yugi wake up."  
But the voices seemed so far away. Like a shout moving against the winds during a fierce desert storm.  
In front of his eyes a dark dusty haze clouded the sky above. Faint yet blinding light shone through but no heat could be felt. _"Wha….what happened..?"  
_Without knowing it his eyes shifted down to the white and gold palace surrounded by lush green vegetation and wild colorful flowers.  
However outside the beautiful stone walls the peace was broken by the thundering of hooves and the pounding of countless soldiers charging across the sands.  
Prisoners and slaves carried loads of arrows, spears, and stone boulders for the army as they headed toward the palace.

Slaves: "With the sting of the whip, on my shoulder,  
With the salt, of my sweat of my brow,  
elo him god on high,  
Can you hear your people cry?  
Help us now, this dark hour,"

Yugi gasped in shock when he took a better look at the slaves. They weren't just humans, but monsters also! Monsters from the shadow games!  
The army cracked their whips against the backs of two ogar battle guards as they carried a large battering ram to the gate.  
Slaves and Monsters: "Deliver us!  
Hear our call deliver us  
Lord of all remember us here in this burning sand,  
Deliver us!  
There's a life you promised us  
Deliver us to the promised land

The images turned to the border of the battle and palace grounds. Within the tall stone walls people from guards to servants were running madly to hide from the danger or to join the outer defenses. A woman in a dark blue and purple cloak hurriedly ran through the halls clutching a small parcel inside her robes.

Woman: "Yaldi ha tuesh harach,  
Alti ra veh al tifchad,"

Turning a corner she unveiled the cloth slightly to see the face of a tiny infant. The woman grabbed a plain servant's cloth and wrapped it around him. Above she could hear the footsteps of enemy soldiers and the desperate cries of falling friends.

"My son, I have nothing I can give  
But this chance that you may live,  
I pray we'll meet again  
If he will  
Deliver us!"

Slaves and Monsters: "Deliver us!  
Hear our prayer  
Deliver us,  
From despair  
These years of slavery grow too cruel to stand,"

The woman ran desperately down the corridors with only a thin wall of brick between her and the killings outside.  
"Come on men! We can't let these traitors into the palace!" A voice sounding like a general shouted. The woman stopped to look through a crackling hole. On the other side a tall blond haired man with two scars on his cheeks was slashing his sword at the enemy. For only a brief moment the woman relaxed and caught her breath. But it was short lived when the invading sounds grew louder above her. Once again she ran out to a hidden garden where a rouge man was waiting on a boat leading toward the river.

"Deliver us,  
there's a life you promised us,  
Deliver us  
Out of bondage and,  
Deliver us to the promised life,"

The woman watched on with tears streaming from her eyes as the rouge disappeared into the reeds with her child.

Woman: "River, Oh river, flow gemtly for me,  
Such precous cargo you bare,  
Do you know somewhere where he can be free?  
River, deliver him there"

Slaves and Monsters: "Deliver us,  
Send a shaper to shepard us,  
and deliver us to the promised life,  
deliver us, to the promised life,"

Woman: "Deliver us."

* * *

Slowly he open his eyes to see Tea holding him on her lap.  
Tea: "Are you ok Yug?"  
Yugi coughed and paused so his eyes would adjust to the light, "(cough cough) Yeah….yeah I think so. What about you? And the others?"  
"We're all fine."  
"Yugi!" Yugi heard his brother's voice call and he suddenly felt two sets of arms wrapped around him.  
The Dark Magician watched from afar relieved that the young boy was safe without any serious damage.  
Yugi: "I had the strangest dream."  
Tea: "Really? What about?"  
Yugi: "The rebellion. I saw monsters from the shadow games and fighting going on all around, and…and I think I saw my mother."  
Joey: "Your mother?"  
Imhotep froze in his place he starred at the boy suspiciously.  
Yugi: "Yes. She was so beautiful. I'm guessing she was a servant. And I think I also saw my father."  
The mage's shock turned to fear.  
Tristan: "Really?"  
Bakura: "Two parents in one dream? Amazing."  
Yugi stood up groggily "I didn't see his face clearly but he was fighting Dartz's forces while mother was running from the destruction."  
Unseen to the others Imhopet sighed with relief and walked back to the others.  
Yugi looked over his shoulder to see the entryway of a dark and dreary town road, "What is this place?"  
Dark Magician: "Remember I said there was only one place in which we might find the Hawk's Eye?"  
Tristan: "Yeah..."  
Dark Magician: "Well, here it is."  
Tea: "But I thought we weren't going there."  
"Due to the circumstances we might as well. But I advise you to stay together but not too close. In a place like this large numbers are a liability." He then placed his hand on each of the human's foreheads starting with Yugi.  
The boy felt the drifter's hand carefully slid upon his scalp under his hood and mass of hair. A chilling yet comforting sensation flowed through his body. He closed his eyes to take in the feel of the mysterious mage's magic flow through him. The cool tingling soon stopped and he slowly opened his eyes again. By then everyone else had gone through the same ordeal and the Dark Magician was standing before them again.  
"If you are addressed by a monster you are the Flame Swordsman, Cyber Commander, Magician of Faith, The White Wizard, and the Mighty Mage."  
"Whoa!" Joey exclaimed gazing at himself and the others.  
Yugi looked around to find that their appearance had altered dramatically. The looked older, stronger and almost unrecognizable.  
Dark Magician: "Your identities are your most prized possession. This spell will conceal your faces if for some reason the cloaks do no good. Remain silent. Don't talk with anyone. And do not touch anything."  
"Just what kind of place is this anyway?"

* * *

Where did they end up anyway? Read and Review  
(A speical Dedecation to 


	9. Chapter Nine: Portobello Road

(ok just for a little heads up everyone with this song is going to be a little…OOC…even for this fic)

and** I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING YOU FIND HERE!**

**Prince of Egypt**

**Portobello Road**

Dark Magician led the group in a chopped up single file into the city gates. Once among the multitude of the overwhelming marketplace the group tried to keep close within sight range, yet remain in two separate groups. One with the drifter Imhotep, the thief Bakura, and the former governess Neverteri. The second had the three Toshka boys quietly roaming through the bustling winding streets. The roads were lined with shady thieves, con artists, merchants, selling rare, imitated, imported (and often illegal) goods. The network of buyers and sellers consisted not only of humans, but shrouded monsters as well.

Dark Magician: "Portobello Road, Portobello Road,

Street where the riches of ages are stowed, 

Everything and anything a slave can unload

Is sold off the barrow in Portobello Road

You'll find what you want in the Portobello Road,"

They all walked the narrow yet clear pathway, all the while, the teenage boys were losing their focus to all the numerous sights, sounds, and smells. The senior traveler tried to guide them through the deceptions lurking within the city.

Merchant (The Kick Man): "Rare rhino ivory

Dark Magician: "Genuine pottery"

Merchant (Baron of the Fiend Sword): "A filigreed samova owned by the czars" 

Merchant (Witty Phantom): "A pen used by Japhar" 

Dark Magician: "A royal canobic jar?" 

Merchant (Witty Phantom): "The razors that sheered old king Seti's cigars

"Made in Ethiopia? Two debens a dozen wouldn't you say?" Dark said to the merchant while hurryingly urging the others away

Merchant (Hibikime): "Waterford crystal

Merchant (Sand Gambler): "Ramasses daggers,

Merchant (Kojikocy): "Society heirlooms with genuine gems

Merchant (Great Long Nose): "Rembrandts, El Grecos

Toulouse "Lautrecos"

Dark Magician: "Painted last week on the banks of the Nile"

Neverteri glanced around trying to see into the covered wagons along the streets, "This is all very interesting, but where do they sell scrolls?

"There should be a place not too far madam." Dark Magician answered, equally impatient.

Meanwhile the three boys mischievously ran off to explore.

Everyone: "Portobello Road, Portobello Road,

street where the riches of ages are stowed

Dark Magician: "Everything and anything a slave can unload

is sold off the barrow in Portobello Road

A couple of Gemini Elves sauntered up to Dark and wrapped their arms over his shoulders. "You'll meet all your chums in the Portobello Road"

"Lovely too see you goodbye." Was all he said before shrugging them off.

The boys were already checking out the giant pots, antique swords, and fancy incense.

"Yo Yug? Is this real?" Joey asked showing him a bottle of what the label said 'Fine Drink'.

Yugi shook his head, "Nah."

Meanwhile as Dark Magician was making inquirers Tea quickly began to look through a scroll cart searching for the Hawk's eye. However in spirit of the moment Bakura began snatching a few ornaments from a garment cart and placed them on her as decorations (and Tea was so concentrated on searching that she didn't even notice).

Bakura: "There's pure inspiration in every creation

Merchant (Harpie Lady): "No cheep imitation not here in me store

With garments as such as was worn by a princess,"

Bakura: "Just once at some royal occasion of yore, You look lovely my dear."

Tea turned from the cart to find herself with a Nubian wig on with a gold painted cobra crown, a leopard robe, and a scarab necklace around her neck.

Merchant (Harpie Lady) and Bakura: "In Portobello Road, Portobello Road,

The fancies and fineries of ages are showed

Joey: (walking fancily in a gemstone skirt and a noble's crown) "A peasant will always feel dressed a la mode

In trinkets he finds"

Joey and Tristan: "In the Portobello Road,"

Back to the scroll cart the owner kept trying to convince the travelers to take interest in his other goods.

Merchant (Mr. Volcano): "'Burke's Peerage', 'The Bride Book', 'The fishmongers guidebook'"

Tea: "We'd rather look at the seals thank you."

Mr. Volcano: "A Royalty novel 'The Unwanted Son'

Tea momentarily peeked at the last manuscript mentioned, then returned to her search.

Merchant: "'The History of Potting'

Bakura: "'The yearbook of Yachting'"

Mr. Volcano: "The leather bound 'Life of Attila the Hun'"

Yugi, Joey and Tristan hurried from one stand to another excited beyond their comprehension. Tristan was mesmerized by the craftsmanship of a rare war axe stolen from the high northern lands, "Wow, if I had something like this back at home no tree would be safe."

Joey on the other hand was fascinated by the carved jackal-headed sword with a firey red blade, "This is just awesome!"

Yugi casually passed by an animal merchant who had several small wild birds locked up in equally tiny cages. As the boy passed them the cages were miraculously open and the birds flew without hesitation into the clear open sky.

Merchants: "Portobello Road, Portobello Road,

street where the riches of ages are stowed

Artifact to glorify

A regal abode

Are hidden in the flotsam in Portobello Road"

Merchants: "Tokens and treasures

Yesterday's pleasures

Cheap imitation of heirlooms of old

Dented and tarnished

Scarred an unvarnished

In old Portobello they're bought and they're sold

"Hey! Come back with my birds!" Monster tamer shouted as he raced down the streets.

The two taller boys turned to the merchant's direction.

Tristan: "What's his deal?"

"No clue."

Yugi suddenly raced by them grabbing their hands, "Come on!"

Token and treasures

Yesterday's pleasures

Cheap imitation of heirlooms of old

Dented and tarnished

Scarred an unvarnished

In old Portobello they're bought and they're sold"

The animal merchant grunted and groaned in his search for the trouble maker. But in passing the food goods aisle the fearsome looking man finally surrendered and returned to what remained of his stand.

The boys however found refuge underneath a pastry table. The heavenly smell of the hot food tantalized their nostrils.

Yugi: (munching on a hotcake) "You can eat like a king in Portobello Road!

Two hours had passed and yet the charm which they seek for was still no where in sight.

"Arg! We must've searched every scroll stand in the entire place!" Tea exclaimed frustratingly hanging her head low to hide her fury.

"Maybe someone bought it already?" Bakura wondered wrapping an arm around her to calm her, "Or is could be in the decorative charm and jewelry section."

However Imhotep wasn't so certain. "No. It's here alright. Even the lowliest thief knows the value of that medallion and the scroll of which is goes too. They would rather keep it for themselves then allow anyone to take it."

"Then why have we been looking though the good's their selling?" Tea asked.

"No better place to hide it. No one would suspect something of true value would be out in the open."

"Are you looking for the Hawk's Eye?" a voice suddenly said from a shaded alleyway behind them.

The three spun around in alarm. Behind them was a tall thin man with the traditional headdress and garb of a lord's vassal.

Bakura reached in his cloak for his dagger, "What's it to you?" he barked protectively.

"If you are searching for the sacred amulet you're wasting your time here for it is in the possession of my master and no one can lay a finger on it without passing his test."

"Who is master you speak of?" Tea answered this time with a regal demanding tone. Despite the wearing of the heat, exhaustion, and the flea infested cloak she was still as poised and commanding as any noble.

The stranger returned her vigil response, "Why the king of the thieves guild of course. He rules Portobello and all who serve here. Anything that can be found here he already knows."

The three of them stepped closer to each other for a quick conference.

Bakura: "You think we can trust him?"

Tea: "It's the best lead we've had."

Imhotep: "Best not bring the others into this just yet. If this is a trap at least the other boys would still be safe."

"Alright."

Quietly, Dark Magician, Bakura, and Tea followed the guard down the narrow alley to the secret Thieves Guild Palace.

* * *

R and R sorry if it's a little choppy, been very busy 

(Oh yeah in respose for Desert Theif, the last chapter was dedicated to you,  
apparently when I was editing it didn't save and the message didn't go thought . )


	10. Chapter Ten The King of Thieves

"I am the king of the Thieves Guild

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGioh, if I did I would have made this story more accurate with the Atem's true past in the series.

Which was part of the reason why it took so long to update. The episodes of the last season I saw discouraged me BIG time.

That and finishing High school, starting college, the October fires, turning 20..

It's very confusing.

**Prince of Egypt**

**The King of Thieves **

The vassal guard led the group alleyway to alleyway deep into the core of the secretive city. Crude torches lit each the corners they passed as they fell out of reach of the desert sun. The passageways became longer and darker with shadows.

"Are we going underground?" Tea whispered keeping close to Bakura during their decent.

Though it was hard for her to see the albino nodded, "Seems like a logical place for a guild to hide from Pharaoh's soldiers. Even a city of thieves should take precautions." Reaching his hand back into his sleeve he lightly scratched a thin white line on the stone wall. _"We may need to navigate out of this maze ourselves if we need to escape quickly."_

Imhotept glanced around worriedly,_ "This was something I hadn't counted on."_

Just when the shadows were at their darkest a bright blinding light appeared before them with the opening of two heavy stone doors.

The Nekken children, the drifter, even the guard stopped for several moments until their eyes adjusted to the light.

The visitors gave a whispered awe. A great massive room was opened up to them. The walls were lined with fine white limestone decorated with unknown hieroglyphs tinted with gold. Rolls upon rolls of silk of numerous colors stretched all over the ceiling and draped down from the pillars. Carved gemstone figures of gods and goddesses lined a stretch of hallway before them creating a path leading to a thrown. Possibly stolen from a foreign land. More guards filled the room as well, along with servants and slaves working tirelessly polishing the goods and fetching their masters food and drink.

"My my my, what do we have here?" a voice echoed thorough the regal chamber.

Everyone unfamiliar to the city looked around anxiously.

At the head of the long path before the throne a tall man took his seat at the throne. He wore shining robes of silk red as scarlet, or of fresh and blood whichever the thieves had preferred. He positioned himself on the throne leisurely allowing the long hairs of his pure white wig to fall down his thin shoulders. And around his neck was a gold and gemstone amulet shaped like an eye. "Visitors in my castle?"

"Visitors?!" Tea suddenly spoke up her voice echoed throughout the chamber. "Just who do you think you are? Dragging us down here!"

"Psst! Are you crazy?!" Bakura took her by the hand just in case the guard decided to attack them.

But the stranger didn't seem offended, "I am the king of the Thieves Guild. I've travel far and wide. Into many lands I came, searching for a name that's suitable for me."

Tea: "A name?"

"Yes. Believe it or not I hated my name. It doesn't sound like one that belonged to a powerful being that is me. A man of my stature deserves a powerful, DIFFERENT name that people will remember in fear of my power."

Bakura pulled Tea closer to him and whispered to Dark Magician, "Ok. He's nuts."

Imhotept nodded.

"I need an outsider's opinion on this one. I heard it during my travels across the sea at the bottom on the Nile. What do you think of… Pegasus? Now be honest…or else my guards will have something to sharpen their spears on."

The three of them huddled together as the closest soldiers pointed their weapons at them.

"Uhhh its…perfect!" Tea uttered out with a frightened squeak.

"Yeah, Pegasus….that's a good name…fits just right." Bakura nodded his head vigorously.

"Very well." The king said, his voice filled with approval of his choice, "Now, why exactly have you come here seeking the Hawk's Eye?"

The young thief took a small step a head of the others, "We need it…your highness.. we're looking for treasure..."

"Be a little more specific will yeh? This rodent invested city is full of treasure if you search long enough."

By then the spy who had led the guards and prisoners to the hideaway had reached the king's right side, "They're looking for THE treasure sir. The one that was entrusted to us after the rebellion."

He shifted his eyes to him curiously, "Oh. Is that so?"

"Yes. The one that the king's right hand gave you to protect the secret of the lost heir."

Pegasus raised a hand to his chin and gazed upward to the ceiling, "Hmm, I do recall the rebellion. Profitable time, you wouldn't believe how many weapons I sold. But I don't seem to recall a soldier giving me anything."

"The Eye of Horus that is around your neck…the one **I** gave you." Bellowed in unexpected voice. The Thief King, his right hand, guards, and Bakura and Tea, looked over to Imhotep who had lowered his hood.

* * *

"Where did all these soldiers come from?" Joey muttered under his breath as the three boys sat hidden behind a white cloth below a tradesmen table.

The occupants of the streets were joined by a battalion of uniform robed men. Each carried an exposed weapon from knives, to swords, to spears. Along the rooftops and high windows archers appeared, preparing their arsenal.

"What are they doing here?" Yugi asker nervously after stealing a glance to the outside.

"No doubt they followed us after we stowed away on the trade ship. They won't stop at nothing for the royal." Tristan said pulling Yugi away and reaching for a dagger behind the stand.

"I'm not so sure about that." Joey replied looked over the men more closely and how the people behind so calmly around them. "They don't look like they belong to the military. More like local militia."

"What would make them come at arms all of a sudden?" Yugi asked.

"I don't know." said Joey pulling backward, "But I don't think we'd want to find out."

Young Yuko felt helpless that he couldn't help his friends out from this predicament. Bakura, Tea, and Imhotep was nowhere to be seen or heard. _"I hope they're alright."_ He thought.

However they did not have to worry for long, as the three Toshka boys were suddenly fell upon by three monster militia.

* * *

Pegasus the king of the thieves, and Imhotep the Dark Magician starred each down for an intense moment all other souls and activity of the room had been silenced to make the even more intimidating.

There was an obvious sense of fear and confusion within the eyes of the former official and thief. It seemed that their strong noble guide was more involved with the situation then they had realized.

The king gave his old 'friend' a pleased smirk, "I thought I would never see your ugly face again. I see your.. 'condition' hasn't improved yet."

This caused a shudder of fear run through young Bakura's body. Ever since he had first met the made he had always showed himself as a strong fearless companion on their journey. For Imhotep to have a condition.. that even he couldn't recognize right away? Suddenly their hopes of survival grew drastically thin.

But Imhotep didn't seem to be phased by the man's words. "The amulet…"

Pegasus rolled his eyes upward to the milti colored fabrics hanging on the walls. "I would if I could… but lately I've grown quite attached to it. After all it's been over fifteen years."

"Typical thief." The Dark Magician grumbled.

But the king merely gave him a smug look, "Don't think you can use you powers here my friend." He said indicating their attention to the statures surrounding the doors and windows. "Even tough your secrets had been lost to most of the country, I still know."  
Imhotep glanced at the guardian statures. Carved from black stone gathered from within the shadow realm itself, The early kings used them to keep the monsters in check while in the mortal world. _"Drat!"_ he cursed.

Just then more guards had entered the underground palace, each threw a young boy from a far away city with the other captives.  
"Yugi! Joey! Tristen" Tea exclaimed as she helped them back up.

Dark Magician spun around to see that his other charges had been snared as well. This made his body feel tense and tremor a little. The loss of anyone of the humans could mean the end.

* * *

Far off in the eastern deserts, far north of the Nile delta the servants and nobles of the lord's palace took council and bickered amongst themselves over a letter they had received from Egypt. A summons to have their sacred Oracle sent to Men-nefer. It was a daunting task as the oracle that had helped their ally nearly two decades ago had died just months ago. His young apprentice, also gifted with the gift of foresight was an unusual specimen. Eventually they decided that they had no choice. They would send the Oracle off to Egypt. As soon as she had appointed a new right hand to be her protector.

**Quote for Next Chapter.**

"How about We play a little game.."

"Can't you blast him away like you did Alister?"

"No. Not with the numerous sacred seals around. My magic is that of darkness and those protection spells would purify and destroy them in an instant. It's hard for me just standing here."

"Well come on! Whose it going to challenge me?"

"I will!"

"Yugi!"

"No you can't!"

"I must guys. It's our only chance..."

**Response to Reviews**

Desert Thief: LOL I hope you didn't hurt yourself after finding the update :P Like my choice for the King of Thieves?

Patricia Barbera: I'm goanna try to update those stories more often.

Queen of Light 17: I hate to give spoilers but… YEP! He's going to appear again. And Dark is another story..

Sunrise Phoenix: Portobello Road is from 'Bed knobs and Broomsticks', an old Disney flick I've liked since I was a kid. The adaptation took forever!


End file.
